THE Fierce Brave Gang Tantrums and Triumphs
by Tanith Panic
Summary: Sorry to torture you all yet again but they're back! The Holby Mixed Infants have a new school year ahead. Cal's off to the Juniors, Ethan's gutted, Lofty has his own problems and a strict new teacher looks like trouble. How will they all manage?
1. Chapter 1

THE FIERCE BRAVE GANG – TANTRUMS AND TRIUMPHS

Ethan's misery was soothed a little by a surprise trip to Blackpool in the last week in August. He was trying to behave himself because when he'd said the Bad Dirty Word, he'd made Mrs Beauchamp have to go out of the room to cry. Then he'd felt he'd been as bad as Lord Voldemort. He enjoyed his chance to be with Cal all day during the Blackpool trip and made sure he kept thanking Mrs Beauchamp for taking them.

Zax went on some nice day trips with Zoe's big sister.

Lofty's parents had already booked a holiday flat in Southend in early August, and he mainly had a lovely time, especially as he was allowed to take Eric Chiltern in his cat basket. But there was one thing that hurt him, his mum and dad kept making sneery comments like 'Now Ben's been to Disneyland this holiday will seem lame for him." When he'd replied that this was a lovely holiday and that he and Eric were having a wonderful time, his mum just said "Well you always were polite darling." But there was something about the way she said it that made him feel as if he'd been slapped. He was also unhappy because his mum kept telling him off for getting 'clingy'. How could he explain why he needed to keep close to somebody he trusted, without telling them about Disney? So Ethan wasn't the only one who had been crying at night.

Mr Keogh had rented a holiday cottage too but he and Dervla had a wonderful time from start to finish with long walks and then evenings spent with Dervla lying on the rug while he read a book. Apart from occasionally going "Ugh, Dervla! That one was bigger than Godzilla! I'm going to have to change your eating habits, Dog Of Mine."

And, from behind the ghost train at Blackpool to the changing rooms at Trendy Tricia's boutique in Holby, the fun between Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman went on and on.

But all too soon holidays were over and Ethan had to face the first day in class without Cal. It was horrid when Mrs Beauchamp drove them to school and Miss Freeman walked round to the Juniors entrance with Cal and Ethan had to walk into the Mixed Infants class with Mrs Beauchamp.

He wanted to cry all during the first assembly, and then it was time to go to the classroom and that empty seat beside him…

Except that it wasn't empty. A smiley dark-haired boy was in it.

Ethan looked at Mrs Beauchamp.

"Oh yes, Ethan, this is Jacob Masters. I hope you'll make him feel welcome.

Ethan wanted to turn his back on Jacob but there was something about Jacob's big happy grin that it would have been mean to squash.

"Hello."

Jacob, not put off by the terse greeting, replied:

"Hi, I'm Jacob."

"Ethan. My big brother used to sit where you're sitting but he's gone up to the Juniors now."

"Ah, that's tough. I know all about that; my sister went to Juniors last year at my old school. Now she's gone straight in Juniors here."

"Okay class, settle down. Zax, are you going to be the first to talk about your holiday?"

At playtime, Jacob, grin wider than ever, said:

"Shall we play? I've got a dead good football."

"Um… I can't, it's first Gang Meeting of the school year."

Then Ethan made a decision.

"Want me to take you to the Gang Hut and see if Zax lets you join?"

Jacob beamed.

"Wow! Zax!"

Jacob was accepted into the Gang straight away. He was led to stand before Zax and Snap.

"New members should bring a small gift but you shall still be accepted, Jacob."

Jacob wanted Max, nice as he was, to shut up so he could hear the pretty little dark-haired girl talking on her own.

"You can have me football!"

"We shall not take your football, footballs is too expensive. You shall come to our meeting tomorrow and bring a gift. But it must not cost more than two pounds."

At lunchtime, after one of Miss Honey's best meals, Ethan and Jacob went to stand by the railings near the Junior school. They expected Cal to be playing with the big boys or to walk past with his nose in the air, but there he was waiting by the railings.

"Hi Ethan. Who's this?"

"It's Jacob. He's sound. He's got your Gang place."

Jacob looked uneasy, but Cal grinned:

"Hey, well done, mate. Ethan, have you shown him the animals yet?"

Nobody could have thought Jacob's grin could get wider but it did.

"Animals? Oh wow. Animals."

Lofty was feeding Ron and Harry when Ethan and his new pal arrived.

"Hi Jacob. This is Ron and this is Harry. Would you like to have one of them as your special rabbit? You have to come to school fifteen minutes early to feed them and then stay fifteen minutes later to feed them again."

Lofty didn't expect Mrs Beauchamp would mind and he didn't want to be greedy and have two rabbits when he had Eric Chiltern at home.

"Cool! Can I have the grey one?"

Lofty handed Ron over gently.

"He's Ron."

Jacob beamed more than ever.

It would seem to anybody viewing the scene that Jacob hadn't got a mean streak in him. He hadn't.

But he was an incurable flirt and he had taken to Zoe.

The kids found it hard to adjust for the first few weeks of term, having been so used to rehearsals for half of the day. Now there were all-day lessons. Not only that, but there was a new teacher. Her name was Mrs Bateman and she was stricter than the other teachers.

"Now I don't know how much history you've learned but mine will be a relatively simple class", she said, adding sharply:

"Ethan, pay attention, please."

Ethan pouted.

"And don't be cheeky or I'll keep you in."

"Mrs Bateman" Zoe said politely enough, "You have to keep people in the next day so you can tell their mums and dads."

"Thank you for trying to tell me my job, Zoe. Ethan lives at Mrs Beauchamp's house so I could tell her at break. I'll let you both off this time but I won't stand for cheek in the future."

Ethan strutted round the playground after lunch saying in what was supposed to be Mrs Bateman's voice: "I'm a mean old woman and I'm going to keep you all in."

"Ethan Hardy!"

Ethan had forgotten that Mrs Bateman was on playground duty.

"You can miss your after-lunch playtime tomorrow and write some lines, so don't take too long with your lunch."

Zoe wisely kept quiet, but Ethan couldn't help it.

"It's Dervla day tomorrow! It's Jacob's first Dervla day and I want to walk with him."

Mrs Bateman remembered about Mr Keogh's dog and how the kids all liked that walk. She hardened her heart.

"Jacob will have to find somebody else to walk with, Ethan. You come to my classroom at half past one and no more arguments!"

That evening, Ethan drew a picture of Mrs Bateman being burned at the stake. Cal was enjoying a new book he'd got from the junior library and Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman were decorating the spare room (and they seemed to be dropping things a lot because there was a lot of bangity-crash going on.)

Then Ethan realised how different things were now. No more Disney, no more Cal, nice as Jacob was, and mean old Miss Bateman taking the next days' walk off him.

A tear fell on the drawing.


	2. Chapter 2

Jacob had been very nice the next afternoon and had said the walk was a bit boring so Ethan didn't feel too bad. But Jacob was in a bit of disgrace with Max for asking if he could walk with Zoe as Ethan wasn't there. Max's cheeky grin had vanished and he'd looked a little grumpy for a while. Fortunately Lofty had asked Jacob if he'd like to walk with him and Robyn.

It was Robyn herself who was next to go head-to-head with Mrs Hatewoman, as Ethan called her.

"Robyn, why are you wearing jewellery to school? Give that to me and you can have it back at home time."

"It's my engagement ring. Ben gave it me!"

"Don't tell silly lies, Robyn. Engaged at your age!"

"Please Mrs Bateman it's true" Lofty said earnestly.

Mrs Bateman knew all about the little curly-haired boy's bad shock during his holiday and spoke more gently than normal:

"Well you're really too young, Ben. I'll have that ring now, Robyn and in future you only wear it at home."

Robyn took off the ring, and glaring at Mrs Bateman, pushed it at her.

"Mrs Bateman, please could I have a word outside?" Ben persisted.

She led him to an empty classroom.

"Go on Ben."

"Please Mrs Bateman, I got that ring for Robyn because she was worried when we did the play and I had to act being Jess's boyfriend. She was getting a bit mean to Jess and I thought if I got that she'd know we were engaged and I wouldn't cheat on her."

Mrs Bateman actually had to bite back a laugh at such a sentence coming out of the mouth of a six-year-old.

"I get that, Ben, I do, but Robyn's got to learn to trust you without that ring hasn't she? Would you like me to tell her that?"

"Yes please."

As they walked back into class Mrs Bateman thought "Now why can't the others be like that? Polite and reasonable instead of arguing like that little demon Ethan?"

Mrs Bateman didn't know that Lofty's politeness came from fear of letting his parents down yet again, and that Ethan's feistiness came from the nightmare of his earlier childhood.

Miss Freeman had come across the drawing which hadn't been crumpled up and thrown away quite as well as Ethan had thought. She saw the tear stains and went to confer with Mrs Beauchamp. The conferring took longer than usual due to it being in the bedroom, but at the end of the session they'd worked things out.

Next day Robyn was strutting around the playground saying "I don't need a ring because Ben LOVES me!"

Mrs Bateman gave her a tiny smile.

Next day Mrs Beauchamp called Ethan to her study.

"I understand you're not happy with Mrs Bateman, Ethan?"

"She's been poison mean and she kept me in on Wednesday lunch and it was DERVLA DAY!"

"Now there's no need to shout, Ethan. Mrs Bateman's one of my staff and I can't stop her keeping you in and make you write lines because that would be undermining her authority –um, that means making a teacher feel bad about the rules she's set. Do you understand?"

"You're not on my side about being kept in, are you?"

"No Ethan, not this time. You have to do what Mrs Bateman says and as long as she's not doing anything wrong like hitting you, I shan't stop her."

Ethan's face was mutinous. Mrs Beauchamp choked down an urge to laugh and continued:

"But instead of my coming and picking you up when I get Cal tonight, Mr Keogh's going to take you on your own walk with Dervla. He'll be taking you to the park and you can go on the rides there if you want. He'll walk you back to my house afterwards. How will that be?"

Ethan wanted to hold out for his rights as he saw them but recognised a good deal when he heard it.

"Cool."

Alas, the reign of terror of Ethan Hardy wasn't quite over yet…


	3. Chapter 3

"Okay, class, let's see how far you've got with your history project from last time. I asked you to write about the difference between now and when Charles the Second was King. I told you all about him, remember, and gave some books out. Robyn, let's see your project book please."

Mrs Bateman read the book through and smiled.

"Very good Robyn, you worked hard there. Class, Robyn's highlighted how dangerous the times were. How people could be hanged for stealing and how there was a nasty plague that killed a lot of people. So Robyn's one vote for present day being better. Jacob."

As Jacob came smiling to the front, Ethan wished the bell would ring so he needn't hand in his project. But they were only about ten minutes into the lesson.

"Now Jacob, that's good but a little one-sided. I'm sure there were some pretty girls – I wouldn't refer to them as babes in your history project! – in the seventeenth century! – but there are pretty girls in this day and age too aren't there?"

Jacob cast a cheeky look at Zoe that made Max want to bash him right on the nose.

"Yes Miss Bateman."

"Jeff, let's see what you've done. Oh yes… very good, you've mentioned the plays and that's a fine drawing of an actor. I like your comment "I think it was very rude" after your telling us about the people in the pit shouting out and eating noisy things while the play was on."

People were called to the front to have their projects viewed. Lofty was thrilled to be told he'd made a good point about people who were rich not being able to marry for love back in those days. Robyn gave him a big soppy smile and Lofty knew that Max and Jeff would tease him at the next Zax meeting.

"Yes, Ethan?"

"Mrs Bateman, my dad used to say that people still don't get married for love. He said when there's a Royal wedding people get their names picked out of bags like they do with football teams."

"That's a little silly, Ethan. You'd better come and show me your project to see what you've written."

Ethan went pale. With all the speed of a snail he brought his book to the front and thrust it at Mrs Bateman, who took it and began to read:

"It was different in Charles Two's time but not as different as Medeeval Times. In Medeeval times they had dragons. Dragons came back. They missed Charles Two's time but they are around today. We've got a big one in our school and her name is Mrs Bate….."

"ETHAN HARDY!"

Ethan wished he hadn't taken up his own dare. Now he was to miss yet another Dervla Day, Mrs Beauchamp had spoken to him about his behaviour and was quite sharp, and now the Gang were having a go at him. Snap's face had been turned to face away from the Gang, which was a first and indicated the seriousness of the crime against Gang etiquette.

"You have been bad and rude and tomorrow you shall miss a Gang Meeting. You may return on Thursday."

"You're all rotten to me as well! She's dictatoring the school and you just don't care!"

"I think you hurt her feelings, Ethan…"

Lofty had begun to speak and Ethan had turned round on him."

"You! Soppy old Ben that never does anything wrong and is teacher's pet all the time! I hate you!"

And Ethan had kicked Lofty's shins hard and gone storming out of the hut.

Lofty had actually retaliated and had yelled:

"Ethan you're a big Godzilla and- and - Snap's not friends!"

The Gang hurried after Ethan only to find him face-down in the grass, sobbing.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ah, come on, Ethan, it's only till Thursday. But you haven't got to kick Ben or be rude to Mrs Bateman any more."

Zoe helped Ethan to his feet and gave him her hanky. Jacob was jealous of Ethan but kept it to himself because he didn't want Max looking at him like a cross shark.

"I just wanted to do it to see if I was brave enough. I didn't think I'd miss another Dervla day", sighed the little sinner.

"Come on back to the Gang Hut, you can have a cuddle of Snap."

Ethan was coaxed back to the hut and after going back into school and washing his face and blowing his nose he felt much better.

Little did he realise…

"Ethan, I don't want you coming on Dervla days any more."

Mr Keogh had caught Ethan as he came back from the Gang Meeting and steered him into a quiet classroom.

Ethan looked in shock at Mr Keogh.

"But why?"

"Because I took you on a special walk last night after school and it still wasn't good enough, was it? You still had to be mean to Mrs Bateman. Don't you think you've carried on this vendetta for long enough now?"

"Wassa Verndetter?"

"It means a war, Ethan. You've been giving Mrs Bateman grief for too long now and I've had enough."

Sounding braver than he felt, Ethan snapped:

"I'll get Mrs Beauchamp to make you let me go on Dervla days!"

"Ethan", replied Mr Keogh without the trace of a smile, "Nobody makes Dylan Keogh do anything he doesn't want. Now look, I'm willing to drop the ban after three weeks, you can come on walks again in the last week of September. But you've really got to prove you can be a good boy first."

Suddenly all the fight went out of Ethan.

"Okay. Do I have to do lines while you're all off with Dervla?"

"No, you can play in the school yard or read a favourite book. You just can't come with us. Oh and Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't you ever kick Ben any more. He's a good boy."

Ethan wondered how Mr Keogh knew because Ben wasn't a snitch.

He forgot that Robyn Miller could be one when she was angry.

Ethan tried hard to be good for the next few weeks and Mr Keogh was so pleased with his progress that he allowed him back on Dervla day a week early. He was given a new project book by Mrs Bateman and this time he did a proper essay about Charles the Second's time that actually got him a gold star from Dragon Lady.

Meanwhile, Cal came home from school as proud as punch. He'd got a gold star himself – much harder to get in the Juniors – for his poem. His class had been asked to write a poem about somebody in history and the class had to guess who it was about. He'd written:

"I told you stupid people

The waves would not retreat,

Now stop this hero worship

And someone dry my feet."

Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman guessed that it was King Canute and when Ethan looked puzzled, they told him the story about the king who proved to his silly fawning subjects that he was only human. Ethan liked the story.

That night up in the big bedroom, Miss Freeman said saucily:

"You've got to guess who this is…

Be careful with my oranges

And don't bounce them around.

You may be Good King Charlie

But they're fifty groats a pound."

"Gold star, and lady, I am coming right over to bounce your oranges."

Two days later, Ethan was still working hard on being good, and had decided to go into school a bit earlier and read his history textbook that he'd been given. He walked into the classroom… and then walked out quickly. Mrs Bateman had a letter on her desk in front of her but it couldn't have been a nice one because she had her head on her arms and she was crying.


	5. Chapter 5

DISCLAIMER: Anybody's family background mentioned here is purely for this fic alone and is nothing to do with the actual script of Casualty.

Ethan knew what he liked when he was unhappy, and, forgetting Mrs Bateman was a teacher, and a scary one at that, he went up to her and put his arms round her.

"Don't cry, Mrs Bateman. I'm not going to be bad any more."

Mrs Bateman wanted to say "It's not all about you Ethan" but realised the little boy was being kind.

"Are you in money trouble? I've got some of my Disney money left. We all have."

Mrs Bateman got a tissue from the box on her desk and wiped her face. Then she said:

"No it's not money Ethan, some nasty person's written me a mean letter."

"Want me to get Jacob? His dad's taught him how to box. He can go and box the person who's made you cry."

"No thank you Ethan, the bad person's not worth it."

"Oh. Well shall I run up to the canteen and ask Miss Honey if you can have a pot of tea? She'll bring it down to you."

"Tea would be lovely Ethan, but just a cup please, if you'd do that for me."

"Yeah! Mrs Bateman, I'm sorry I was bad and rude."

"You're being good lately Ethan and I've noticed. Now can you go to Miss Honey; I'd love that tea."

Ethan sped off.

Mrs Bateman sighed. How did you explain to a six-year-old that you were crying because even though your pig of an ex husband didn't want children with you while you were together, couldn't wait to get his young fancy piece pregnant, and couldn't wait to let you know that out of pure spite?

Ethan met the kids on their way into school.

"Mrs Bateman's been crying. Let's go and fetch Snap so she can cuddle him."

The kids trooped back into the classroom. Mrs Bateman was finishing her tea.

"Mrs Bateman, we've brought you Snap to have a cuddle of."

"Who's Snap, Max?"

Max and Zoe walked forward and spoke in unison:

"Snap's our Gang Mascot. We like cuddling him when we feel rubbish."

For a second it looked as if Mrs Bateman was going to be a dragon again. She stood up very straight.

Then she did a little mock-bow:

"Hello Snap, I'm very pleased to meet you."

They couldn't believe it as they came out of Mrs Bateman's classroom and headed for Mr Keogh's.

Mrs Bateman had sat Snap on the desk in front of her and told them that she was going to ask a lot of questions about what she'd taught them, but that they had to tell Snap, not her, the answers. If they were right, Snap would bow to them.

The kids had helped without realising it. Mrs Bateman had thought afterwards "Why am I jealous of his stupid trollop when I've got a nice little bunch of kids of my own? AND I can give them back at the end of the day!"

The kids had decided after class that Mrs Bateman was lovely after all.

Some other people weren't quite as lovely as Mrs Beauchamp had found out on Parents Evening.

"Mrs Beauchamp, is Ben clingy in your classes? He's becoming a bit – well, dependent – when we go out. He won't let go of my hand in the street and if we're in a shop, he's actually terrified if he loses sight of one of us. It's really silly, he's seven now."

Ben's dad spoke up after his wife finished her sentence.

"Sometimes he'll just sit and cuddle his kitten. He used to play on the lawn in front of the house, because we could see him from the window, but now if we make him do that, he keeps looking at the street in case somebody's going to come for him."

Knowing that she took a huge risk, Mrs Beauchamp broke her promise to Ben and told them about Disney.

Their reaction was not what she expected.

"I knew it! Now, you're in no way to blame, Mrs Beauchamp. We told Ben that he'd come to grief because of his clumsiness and this has proved it. He's a silly boy. Well now he knows what happens when he doesn't take care and look where he's going."

Mrs Beauchamp was all but raging that night.

"Poor little soul, they're blaming HIM for what happened. And that Chiltern woman's even thinking of punishing him if his clumsiness doesn't improve, by taking his kitten away. So far, she's taking my advice not to do that, but if she does, at least I've asked her if the school can have Eric. And here's the worst of it – do you know why that bitch let him have a kitten in the first place? Because she thought Ben wouldn't be able to handle him. It was to teach him a lesson! She thought he'd either injure Eric – or worse! – because of his clumsiness and she'd have never let him forget it. She never reckoned with Ben having such a big heart that he'd adore the kitten and instinctively be careful of him"

"Ah, come on, Tiger, calm down!"

"Look, Freeman, you Jezebel, I'm seriously upset for Ben. You know how you can work out a lot from what people don't say?"

"Oh yeah, I've read a LOT just looking at you…"

"Be serious, Rita. They made his last holiday at Southend a misery, and that's only from what I've worked out myself. Well this time he's going to have a decent holiday."

"Where?"

"Get your Kiss Me Quick hat polished, Freeman. Tomorrow we're looking at apartments for rental… we're off to the Illuminations for Half Term."


	6. Chapter 6

In the next couple of weeks Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman worked hard to find accommodation. They also had to ask some pretty sneaky questions to find out exactly who was free to join them on the Blackpool trip.

"Going anywhere for half term, Jeff?"

"Ooh yes, Mrs Beauchamp. We're going to fly out to a place that has to be really hot."

"Why do you say that, Jeff?"

"Because it's called Cor! Phew!" so I reckon it has to be roasting."

Louise's mum was taking her to stay with her granny down in Devon.

Zoe and Max were feeling crushed because, guess what? Zoe's big sister had a new boyfriend and he was taking Alison (Big sister) away with him. Both Zax mums worked, so it was looking as if they were going to have a boring half term. Especially as strict Aunt Sarah would be looking after them.

Jess, too, was at a loose end.

On the Friday morning, Mrs Beauchamp called all the kids who weren't going anywhere for half-term into her study and told them the news.

"It'll be self catering so you can all learn a bit of basic cooking, too. And I thought we'd see if Mrs Bateman would like to go."

Ethan amazed everybody by cheering aloud.

Next day in the staff room Mr Keogh saw Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman coming in giggling. He said harshly:

"Is this about the famous Blackpool trip that I've not been asked on?"

"DYLAN! We'd love to have you! We just thought… wouldn't you miss Dervla?"

"It's only Friday till Monday, and in case you two romantics haven't noticed, there's such a thing as a holiday home for dogs. Dervs loves it there."

"Dervs, even!" howled Miss Freeman later in the depths of the stationery cupboard.

"I'm glad Grumpy's coming though."

"Well I don't know, Ben, you're a spoiled greedy boy going on three holidays this year", Lofty's mum sneered. Lofty was hurt. He hadn't asked for another holiday, just been invited on one so he didn't think he was being greedy.

"I know I'm lucky" he replied quietly.

"So much for your precious kitten, then, it didn't take you long to abandon him yet again, did it?"

"It's a big flat, Mum. Eric Chiltern can go."

"You'll have to find his cat food money out of your pocket money and I'm not giving you any extra."

"I've still got my Euro swap money from Disney."

"Oh well if you want to squander it on another holiday don't come crying to me when you can't afford any extras for Christmas."

Lofty wondered why his Mum had to put poison in all the nice things in life and why his Dad just gave him sorrowful looks as if he'd been bad.

"Can Max box people?" Jacob asked casually as he, Lofty and Ethan walked to Mrs Beauchamp's car after school, Lofty and Jacob having been invited for tea at her house to discuss Blackpool.

"Why?"

"I want to sit next to them in the ghost train to protect Zoe cause I can, just as well as Max."

Sounding much older than six years old, Ethan said:

"I really wouldn't advise that."

Cal came through the Juniors gate to meet them.

"Blackpool eh? Not long now either. You all right, Ben?"

"Bit tired."

"Ah, you'll wake right up when you see what DVD we've got for later!"

It was a lovely evening, and the new Spider Man DVD was just perfect.

But two of the boys were worried. Ethan didn't want nice, cheeky, friendly Max to start wanting to punch Jacob and Lofty was still worrying about how he could ever please his mum..


	7. Chapter 7

A big thank you to Gypsy Abby for her wonderful ideas:

Half term came around and everybody who went to Blackpool had a great time. The two flats were huge, clean and had everything, including a DVD player and a big garden to play in between both flats. Once again Zax were disappointed about not being able to share a bedroom but everybody else liked the sleeping arrangements, especially Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp. Ms Dixon came along on this trip, which is why she wasn't able to look after Dervla, and she and Mr Keogh were in charge of the girls. Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp were in the flat where the boys were resident. It was one of those great places to stay where guests could have the central heating just as warm or cool as they liked it. Mrs Beauchamp, in a bid to get the kids interested in cooking, threw out a 'Best Meal Challenge' for the two flats. Robyn's excellent knowledge of 'tasty but New Tricious' food made sure the girls just snagged the prize.

The whole Holby mob started taking bets on how many times a day Mr Keogh called Doggy Day care to check on Dervla.

"Don't you like cats, Mr Keogh?" Lofty asked him as he sat stroking Eric Chiltern.

"Not a lot. But Eric's okay so I shan't take him on to the beach and drown him this time" Mr Keogh teased.

Lofty laughed, but hoped Eric Chiltern hadn't heard and was terrorised. You could never tell with cats. Eric Chiltern was technically now a 'teenager' and not a kitten any more but Lofty adored him as much as ever.

Mrs Beauchamp smiled to see Lofty enjoying himself, knowing nobody was going to call him 'clingy' if he needed to hold on to somebody's hand. Zax had decreed that Lofty was to be protected at all times.

They visited the Blackpool Tower on the first evening, and while Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman went into the lift to the top of the tower and then seemed to be ages coming back, the others explored the aquarium, had a bit of fun in Jungle Jim's playground, and finally went into the Ballroom with its beautiful background picture. Zoe pretended she was a big star in Strictly Come Dancing, and did a little series of dance movements that made Max's heart go flipperty flop wallop, and Jacob decide he just had to get next to her on the ghost train. He imagined a marvellous little scenario:

"Oh help! Max has fainted in terror and the ghosts are all around me! Oh who will save me?" cried Zoe.

"I am Jacob Masters and I fear nobody!" said Our Hero, bounding over three carriages to her rescue.

"What are you goggling at Zoe for? It's rude to goggle at girls", growled Max.

Jacob came back to earth and Mrs Bateman said "Now then, Othello!" to Max with a little laugh.

Later on when Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman came back, looking so red in the face that the kids were convinced they had climbed back down all the stairs, and they'd gone back to the flat for supper, Mrs Bateman explained who Othello was. The kids thought it was a very sad story.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't stab myself, it must hurt rotten", Max reassured them.

Zoe gave him a very dirty look.

"You're supposed to say you'd never smothercate me with a pillow, Max Walker! I'm going to sit next to Ben and stroke Eric Chiltern while you're being stupid!"

"I'll come too!" Robyn gasped hastily, and plonked herself between Lofty and Zoe.

"Ah, young lurve!" mocked Mr Keogh.

Everybody nearly passed out in shock as Mrs Bateman said in a Mr Keogh like voice:

"Hello, doggy day care? DERVLA has to have her blue cushion, the one with the stripe down it, and she only eats Doggie Chunks. If anybody feeds her Pedigree Chump by mistake, will somebody operate IMMEDIATELY to avoid illness?"

Mr Keogh threw a cushion at Mrs Bateman, who threw one back. Soon there was a cushion fight tournament until Mrs Beauchamp said warily:

"Er… guys, those aren't our cushions to throw about…" and the whole mob collapsed laughing.

Would the second day be even better, thought Ethan as he went to sleep that night.


	8. Chapter 8

The second day in Blackpool was even better. The weather was cool but dry, which was reasonable for October, but everybody wrapped up warmly. First on the agenda after breakfast was a healthy walk down to the Pleasure Beach. Mr Keogh sneaked in a couple of calls to Doggy Day Care while the others went on the Wallace and Grommit ride.

"I'll sit with you and Zoe", Jacob said to Max as if he was trying to be helpful.

"It's for four people so we need one more. JESS! Can you come and sit next to Jacob?" Max shouted. Jacob sighed. Max didn't miss a trick.

Jess wished Jacob would stop mooning over Zoe and look at her, Jess, just once.

Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman, sitting with Cal and Ethan on the ride, giggled and giggled. Ethan didn't get why because the ride wasn't that funny. But Cal knew. Even though he was a Junior now he still believed in Lebsion Magic.

Then it was the Ghost Train. Once again Jacob stationed himself between Max and Zoe and once again Max shouted to Jess to come and sit with them. Jess tried to pretend to be scared, but Jacob just said cheerfully: "Ah, you're tougher than those ghosts, Jessie. You show 'em!" Jess liked being called Jessie at least, but was still sad that Jacob didn't fancy her.

Ethan remembered how he'd been a baby at Phantom Manor and was determined to be brave this time. So when Dracula came looming up, Ethan said, as naturally as if he'd not been practising for weeks beforehand "Oh get out of our faces, you toothy bugger!"

"Ethan Hardy!" gasped Mrs Beauchamp. Ethan wondered if she was getting a cold because she didn't have much breath to shout with.

But Cal took him aside and told him he was 'almost brave enough for the Juniors' and Ethan preened for the rest of the day.

Then after another walk and, as a treat, a sit-down Pizza lunch, it was time for the Waxworks. The format had changed, and the infamous Chamber of Horrors was long gone, but there was still plenty to enjoy and plenty of waxy celebrities to see. Mr Keogh had his photo taken with Lady Gaga; Mrs Dixon preferred to pose with Madonna, and the actually-not-dragonish-at-all Mrs Bateman couldn't wait to get her arms round The Wolverine.

But the high spot of the evening was back to the Pleasure Beach for the half past six Ice Show, despite Ben's having a little heartache. A couple of rough-looking boys came past and noticed him holding Mr Keogh's hand as the crowds were huge.

"Yah, look at Daddy's Boy there! At his age!"

"At least Ben behaves himself" snapped Mr Keogh.

But Ben was ashamed.

"Hey, don't let those two losers get to you" Cal chimed in, "I still like holding hands with Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman and I'm a Junior!"

"I like holding hands with lots and lots of ladies!" Ethan chimed in, causing the whole group to laugh.

The show was wonderful, glittery costumes, great skating, and nice music. Cal wondered if Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman had been doing some Lebsion Magic about the show because sometimes the skaters just flew up into the air and skated there for a while. He didn't spot the invisible wires.

Then it was back to the flats for supper and bed. Tonight the boys played host.

"We were going to do cheese toasties but then we've had Pizza so it's Jacket spuds and Caleb's special salad", Cal, wearing a pinny with Masterchef on it, announced. Mr Keogh went into the kitchen to supervise the boys to make sure there were no injuries.

"Now what we'll do to let your food settle before bed is have a grand Monopoly championship" said Mrs Bateman.

Everybody took their places round the huge table, except for Eric Chiltern, who was snoozing near the radiator.

Jacob grabbed the spare seat next to Zoe, seeing as it was unoccupied and Max had been on dishwashing duties that night.

Max, normally a sweet-tempered lad, was not pleased to say the least.

"Get away from Zoe or I'll rip your bum out by the roots!" he shouted.

Miss Freeman made a chokey noise and had to run out of the room.

"I'm not a PROCESSION!" snapped Zoe.

Jacob remained seated, but a warning look from Mrs Beauchamp made him slink off to the other side.

"Max, I'm not sure whether to make you stay in and miss the big trip round the illuminations tomorrow", she told the still-enraged Master Walker.

Something broke in Max and he behaved totally out of character. There was only so much a boy in love could take.

"You do and I'll… I'll strangle Eric Chiltern!" he yelled.

Then tears ran down his face in horror at what he'd said.

"I wouldn't! I wouldn't, honestly, Ben, I love cats. I love our Sarah!"

Lofty thought of Max's big ginger cat back at home. Max loved to brag about how gorgeous Sarah Cat was. She was a pretty cat but not a patch on Eric Chiltern.

"I know you didn't mean it", he said sadly, "But you could dramatise Eric if he hears you, so don't say it again."

Max got out his hanky and tidied up his face.

"I'll not. I'm sorry, everybody."

Jacob knew it was up to him to step up to the mark.

"It was my fault. I was trying to be clever", he said, adding:

"I'll not bother Zoe no more."

Max offered his hand, then apologised to everybody, the crisis was averted, and the game started.

Ethan was thrilled. A big squabbly drama sorted out – and he wasn't in trouble for any of it! Magic!


	9. Chapter 9

There were no more rebellions or tantrums for the rest of the trip though Mrs Beauchamp did take Max aside and tell him she was very concerned about what he'd threatened to do to Eric Chiltern.

"I was sorry right after I said it" he protested.

"But it wasn't a nice thing to say at all, was it? You're usually one of my best pupils, Max. You need to stop throwing a wobbly every time you and Zoe can't be together."

Max vowed to improve, and just put it down to nobody being able to understand a lad in love.

Mrs Beauchamp never nagged once she'd told somebody off, and the rest of the day was great for everybody concerned.

They visited the zoo to begin with, and everybody was delighted to see there were some baby animals as well.

"You should upgrade Eric Chiltern for a tiger cub", Louise told Lofty perfectly seriously.

"I'd never love a tiger cub like I love Eric."

"I'm going to get two tiger cubs and a baby wolf when I go to work and earn money", Louise decided.

Then, in the gift shop, they found her. A girlfriend for Snap! The kids put their day's money together, Mrs Beauchamp made up the deficit, "as everybody's been good all day" and the toy crocodile was boxed up by the cheerful assistant.

"It's for our gang mascot" Ethan told the assistant proudly, "He's a boy crocodile and now he's got a girlfriend."

"What are you going to call her?" asked the assistant, who looked as if she wanted to adopt Ethan on the spot.

"Um… well our boy crocodile's called Snap."

"How about Sharpie, because she'll have sharp teeth?" was the assistant's suggestion.

The Gang were delighted by this, and Jacob pushed his luck by strutting up and giving the assistant a kiss on the cheek. She looked rather pleased about it.

"I'm going to leave your Zoe alone and multi-task with girls from now on", Jacob sighed happily to Max.

Rita sent Mrs Beauchamp a cheeky text:

"You. Me. Multi task behind monkey house in 15?"

"Miss Freeman and myself are just going to check on – um – whether the snake section is too scary for you guys", Mrs Beauchamp announced, then she and Miss Freeman ran off.

Mr Keogh raised his eyebrows, forgetting 'Pride goes before a fall.'

They ate a late lunch in the zoo and then it was time for the illuminations. They were going to walk part of the way and then catch the tram back to near the flats.

"Can we go on one of those big lit-up trams PLEEEEASE?" Ethan begged.

"No Ethan."

The famous Ethan pout appeared. Then Mrs Beauchamp explained.

"Ethan, are those lights outside or inside the tram?"

"Outside."

"So do you think the people sitting in the tram will see them? Or will the people who are walking or on normal trams get a free show? It costs more to go on the illuminated trams but the passengers don't see a thing."

"LOSERS! You're ever so clever, Mrs Beauchamp!" Ethan grinned.

Lofty felt a tiny bit shaky when he saw the crowds and how dark it was already. The scare he'd had at Disney kept coming back to get him.

"Are you okay, Ben? We'll make sure you're not left alone", Mr Keogh reassured him.

Lofty bit his lip. He had to stop being a baby or his Mum would be more disgusted with him than ever.

His small chest swelled as he took a breath.

"I want to come and see the lights, please."

He got his reward when he saw the Doctor Who section of the lights with the Daleks and other aliens.

Zax carried the mascots proudly as they walked between Ms Dixon and Mrs Bateman. Max held Snap and Zoe held Sharpie.

Jess suddenly gave a little shiver as they passed the ghost train on the sea front – a smaller effort than the one in the Pleasure Beach. A big green grinning face leered down at her. Jacob moved closer to her.

"It's big and wild out here, innit? Want a man's arm?"

Jess beamed.

After they'd walked as far as the adults reckoned was good for kids, they waited for a tram. They had to wait a while but eventually one came chugging along with room for all of them.

"Don't even think about it on a tram, ladies", Mr Keogh said to Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp.

Cal looked a little sad; he knew they liked to make magic.

"Not worth getting arrested for Lebsion Magic is it?" Mr Keogh muttered to Cal out of the side of his month.

Cal was scandalised and delighted at the same time. Mr Keogh knew the secret! And he trusted Cal.

There was no squabbling in the flat that night, just a general contentment after a great holiday. And they would still be able to go on the piers the next day before they were driven home again.

It was up to Zax, of course, to do the honours.

"We got all the teachers a box of biscuits to eat at break. Thanks for a cool holiday!"

"I think those biscuits will fit nicely in my drawer", Mrs Bateman teased.

"I think not", replied Mr Keogh who had seen that they were Scottish shortbreads, his favourite.

Poor Mr Keogh didn't realise the shock he was in for in just a couple of weeks…


	10. Chapter 10

The next day after a leisurely breakfast and a walk on the piers, it was time to set off for Holby again. Mrs Beauchamp, Mrs Dixon and Mrs Bateman were the 'designated drivers' for the journey, with everybody else filling the passenger space.

"Ooh! Why are we stopping here?" Ethan wanted to know as the cars pulled up at a pretty little pub with a play area outside it.

"It'll save your mums and dads cooking you meals when you get home, and it'll give us teachers a night off from cooking as we get you rogues back in school tomorrow."

Ethan grinned at Mrs Bateman; he liked being a rogue.

"Are we allowed to go in pubs?" asked Louise.

"Yes, it's child-friendly, Lou, look, they've got a play area."

"I'm LOUISE!"

"And I'm still your teacher Louise, so don't get cheeky, okay?" Mrs Bateman was a lot more friendly lately but still didn't relax her standards.

Ethan hoped the waiter would be like Pierre back in Disneyland and put a special salad out for Snap, Sharpie and the kids, but this waiter didn't have the magic touch and said rather irritably to Max and Zoe "Can you move your toys please?" as they brought the food.

"They're not toys, they're gang mascots" Ethan piped up.

"Well okay but they don't want food on them, do they?"

This sounded fair enough and Ethan decided against telling Mrs Beauchamp not to give the waiter a tip after all. Especially when he was very patient as the kids deliberated over favourite ice creams, and even said "Look, tell you what, why don't I bring you all a mixed plate each with a sample of every ice cream on it?"

"I want one of those too!" declared Mr Keogh.

The waiter smiled. Cal wondered if Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman had been doing Lebsion Magic under the table.

Mr Keogh's face fell a bit later on.

"Doggy Day Care and Holiday Homes is closed for the night and I forgot to check on Dervla."

And finally it was time for dropping everybody off. Lofty thought how nice it would be if he was going home with Mrs Beauchamp, Cal and Ethan and then decided he was the baddest boy on earth to think like that.

But when he got home and his mother was at the door, and he put his free arm that wasn't holding Eric Chiltern, out for a hug, she just ignored his gesture and shepherded him inside, saying a little too loudly:

"You can look forward to a low-key Christmas now you've had this treat, Ben."

"Oh, can he indeed" thought Mrs Beauchamp. She was already having other ideas.

The kids were allowed to go into school an hour later the next day because of their travelling on the previous night. This didn't sit too well with Mrs Chiltern either.

"Well you'll have to sit in the playground for an hour, Ben. I have to go to work. Oh don't look at me like that, nobody is going to grab you from the school yard, are they?"

Fortunately Big Mac noticed Lofty and took him to his hut to check on the animals. He even made Lofty a quarter cup of his special strong tea. It tasted horrid but it was lovely and hot.

Lessons began again as normal. Because Ethan had really wanted to show how good he could be after learning how nice Mrs Bateman was, he had worked extra hard with his project and was given a special gold star, which he was the only one in his class to get so far.

And on the Friday Mrs Beauchamp called the kids into the Assembly Hall.

She had news for them that would, she teased, knock their socks off.

"The New Theatre has been in touch" Mrs Beauchamp announced, "And they're doing a musical version of Goldilocks And the Three Bears as an alternate Christmas panto. As all the boys did so well in 'Thorns' they've asked if any of our boys would be interested in trying for Baby Bear."

Louise shouted rudely:

"That's sexist! Why not girls?"

"Please put up your hand before you speak in future, Louise. They've asked for boys so it's no good sulking. Anyone up for it?"

She might have been better asking "Is anybody not up for it?"

Jacob, Noel, Lofty, Max, Jeff and Ethan all put up their hands.

"Will our Cal get a chance too?" Ethan wanted to know.

"He will. So that's seven of you for the auditions then with Cal. They'll be in the same week as Bonfire night – I'll let you know further details soon."

Ethan wanted to go and audition right then and there, but knew he had to wait till they were told.

Naturally there was a problem for one boy straight away:

"Mum, the New Theatre's doing a musical for kids this Christmas."

"For goodness sake, Ben! Haven't you had enough treats this year?"

"It's not to go to see it, Mum. We've got a chance to be in it if we get chosen for Baby Bear. Mrs Beauchamp says whoever gets the part would get paid. I could give it to you and Dad."

"Now hold on, Ben. You know how clumsy you can be. Suppose you fall over and everybody laughs at you?"

"Mrs Beauchamp says if things go wrong they'll laugh with us, not at us. Please let me try, Mum?"

"Well I can't stop you trying, but don't be surprised if they don't think you're good enough."

Max was a little crushed because Zoe said she didn't mind them being apart if Max got Baby Bear.

"We need to do different stuff now and then or you'll go getting stroppy and wanting to pull people's bums off, " she said as she stroked the rabbits in Big Mac's hut.

"Bet you miss me!"

"Dream on, Big Head."

"I might go in for it myself" Big Mac said, which made them both scream with laughter at the thought of Big Mac in a bear suit.

But by the end of the week, Baby Bear was driven from everybody's minds.

Mr Keogh took a call from Doggy Day care, and came back into the staff room, his face almost white.

"Is Dervla all right?" asked Mrs Beauchamp deciding she needed to know the worst.

"It depends by what you mean by all right, Connie. If you mean, is she fit and healthy, well, yes. But what sort of a place let my Dervla go in as a good pure dog and come out as a –a – harlot?"

Miss Freeman couldn't contain herself.

"She's – having – puppies!"

"RITA! Dervla is a pure breed Irish Wolfhound. Thanks to a dirty beast of a Golden Labrador, she's having mongrel puppies! Well she'll get no more doggie toys from me. Let her fancy man Labrador get them for her!"

Mr Keogh stalked out, looking quite terrifying.

The rest of the staff waited until he was out of sight and earshot and then fell about howling with laughter.


	11. Chapter 11

The kids were horrified to learn there wouldn't be any more Dervla days for a while.

"Have we been bad?" Ethan wept.

"No Ethan, Dervla's been bad. She's having puppies. So she shan't have her walks."

"But Mr Keogh surely that's a good thing, puppies?" Lofty said, puzzled.

"Ben-" Mr Keogh tried to explain this, "She's a special breed of dog but she's – um – been to bed with another one. So I can't sell her puppies because nobody would buy them. I live on a houseboat. Imagine four or five young puppies running around there. They'd sink the boat and Dervla and I would be drowned in our sleep."

Mr Keogh was exaggerating but to him the problem of the puppies was very real.

"Please Mr Keogh, I bet our Alison would have one" Zoe told him, "She doesn't want a posh puppy, just a puppy. And she'd pay."

"Zoe if she takes one of Dervla's puppies, she can have it for free."

The kids all promised to ask around and see who'd take in a puppy. Lofty knew he'd have to be very careful about asking his mum.

"Mum, if something was free would one of your friends have it?"

"Stop talking in silly riddles, Ben, I'm running late and your dad's still in bed because he's working later. Now just get ready for school."

"Would one of your friends want a free puppy? Mr Keogh's big dog's having some but they're mixed up because she's slept with a Labrador."

"Shut up Ben. Nobody thinks you're funny."

Jacob had a better result the next day.

"My Auntie Mollie says she'll have one, Mr Keogh."

Mr Keogh was quite moved by the class's efforts to help. As a result, while ever the vet said it was safe, Dervla days were reinstated.

Meanwhile, Mrs Beauchamp had contacted the New Theatre. She had good news on the week before the auditions.

"The director at the New Theatre agrees with me that it's wrong to bar girls, so anybody who wants can try for Baby Bear next week. Louise, I know you want to put your name down."

"I don't, Mrs Beauchamp. I don't like acting. But I had to speak up for the girls."

"Well, top marks for that, Louise. Who else?"

Robyn hesitated.

"Um… Mrs Beauchamp, can Baby Bear be fat?"

"You're NOT fat!" Lofty shouted, then apologised for shouting out.

"You're excused, Ben, because Robyn certainly isn't fat. Want to try, Robyn?"

Robyn grinned and nodded.

The boys were a little put out because now there would be even more competition, but knew if they spoke up it would make them Male Showbusiness Pigs.

Zax made a new ruling that playtime.

"If a girl gets Baby Bear, Sharpie can sit on the throne instead of on Snap's knee. It it's a boy Snap can have the throne and Sharpie can sit on the table."

Mrs Beauchamp had a new announcement to make; the kids thought she might because she and Miss Freeman were locked in Mrs Beauchamp's study for…oh, simply forever! – so they weren't surprised to hear they were wanted in the assembly hall.

"Okay, this is the news you've been waiting for. Auditions for Baby Bear will take place on Thursday at the New Theatre at 10am. You all need to wear something comfortable, dance shoes or trainers, and don't have a big breakfast because you have to move and dance. Okay?"

The kids looked at each other in total panic. So soon?

"Come on, you can do this!"

"If we can't have a big breakfast on Thursday I'm gonna stuff myself crazy at the firework party on Wednesday night."

"Better not, Ethan, you don't want to wake up feeling stodgy do you?"

The firework party was a huge success. Every child had been asked to contribute some food. Mrs Hanna had sent the most tasty- looking home-made quiche, there were mini sausages that the teachers would toast over the fire, there were jacket potatoes and a big dish of salad, and Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman had been hard at it in the kitchen the night before. They'd also found time to make some bonfire toffee. Cal, as a VIP ex-Mixed Infant, had been invited and had brought parkin and flapjack that he'd helped make in cookery class.

Lofty was ashamed.

"Ben, we know your mum works. And bottled water's great, you've bought enough for everybody there! We'll need to drink as well as eat."

Lofty smiled at Max but then Ethan the tactless said:

"Pepsi would have been better. You could have bought that!"

"Hey, we haven't a Guy! Shall we put Snap on the fire?" asked Cal, knowing this would change the subject. It did, and also proved that Ethan could still scream for England.


	12. Chapter 12

Julia Chiltern looked at her earnest, well-meaning clumsy misfit of a son and wished she could feel more for him. It wasn't Ben's fault that she and her husband had been careless with their precautions one night, not his fault that she'd had to take time out from a job where even a week off meant someone else ready to step in at a moment's notice. Because of Julia's pregnancy with Ben, she'd lost an important promotion. He was a good kid really, but… couldn't he conquer his demons just for once and have the confidence to go a whole day without a spillage or dropping something? And why couldn't she have been more horrified about what happened to him in France? She was being prodded by her conscience and this made her sharper with Ben than she meant to be.

"Mum, if I get this part, I'll give every penny to you and Dad, honest."

He'd never been a greedy child. If he had, she could have found some justifiable reason for snapping at him. But Ben was grateful for whatever he got, good or bad. Her conscience jabbed at her again.

"You might not even get it, Ben, so don't daydream. Now do you need the toilet before we go?"

"Yes please."

"Hurry it up, then, you know I'm straight on to work after dropping you off."

"If one of us gets Baby Bear, we'll still love each other won't we?" Max asked anxiously.

"Don't be soppy" replied Zoe, and a little ray of hope shone for Jacob for a moment as he overheard.

Then he saw Max and Zoe hugging, and decided to keep his nose out in future. At least that was his intention.

They won't see I'm fat in a bear suit, thought Robyn, feeling better already.

Meee, thought Ethan, let it be me please!

Finally the waiting was over and they were sitting in the auditorium of the New Theatre while the director greeted them.

"Now I'll run down the storyline for you. We want to promote the idea in the story that animals perform better when treated with kindness. So, in a fictional town called Arcadia, in a fictional time, Goldilocks's mother, Madam Rosina, has fallen on hard times because her circus is losing money. She won't use any animals that aren't happy performing, so there are no elephants, lions or tigers, just a troupe of performing dogs. Grasping Grossini, her rival, uses animals that his henchmen have captured, lions, tigers, etc. The public don't realise the cruelty behind the acts so they pay to see the show with most animals."

The kids looked at each other in concern.

"Now don't worry, things get better. Goldilocks suggests she goes through the woods to the big castle to beg Count Nicolas, who's just returned to Arcadia, after being abroad, to give her a job there. She meets a handsome young man who is – you've guessed it, the Count in disguise, and they fall in love."

The director laughed at the faces some of the boys were pulling.

"Yeah, I know, soppy bits. He tells Goldilocks he'll ask the count about a job for her, and then hurries off in case anybody recognises him. Goldilocks loses her way and the spirit of the woods arranges for her to stop at a certain cottage… who do you think lives there?"

"The Three Bears!" yelled the kids happily. They liked a director who let kids shout out.

"And the story's as you know it for a while… but instead of running away, Goldilocks asks the bears forgiveness for being in their home. The two big bears are wary but Baby Bear runs to her and hugs her, shouting "I love her!" That should get a nice reaction. Mum and Dad bear have a plan after they hear our heroine's sad story. They'll come back with her and perform in Madam Rosina's circus. They'll show the audiences that kindness is the best way to make animals perform. What's more – now keep an open mind, this is fantasy for kids! – who wouldn't come to a show where the main attraction is a trio of all-singing, all-dancing visibly happy bears?"

The first act ends on a triumphant performance at Rosina's circus with Count Nicholas in the front row. He confesses his deception and Goldilocks forgives him.

The next act starts with everybody happy; a nice little romance for Goldie and the Count, Madam Rosina planning some luxury updates to the house, and the bears treated like royalty. When Grossini's forced to close down, he's not happy and fights very dirty. He sends his henchmen to kidnap Baby Bear and leaves a message. Unless Goldie marries him instead of Nicolas, and hands over all the rights to the circus, Baby Bear will be thrown to the lions and eaten alive."

A little tear of sympathy ran down Ethan's face.

"He reckons without Nicolas's courage, and the captured animals' long memories. Grossini's mansion is attacked, and he has a sword fight with Nicolas. Just as he's about to cut Nicolas's throat, the lions, tigers and elephant, who have had enough, sneak up behind him. They drag him off stage, with him screaming like a big coward.

Goldie and Nicolas have a huge wedding, and right at the end of the story, Grossini is seen cowering in a cage. Up come the animals who throw food and water at him through the bars. Baby Bear says to him cheerfully: 'This is your life from now on, mate. Now you know how captured animals feel.'"

Max had been having a little daydream about him being Nicolas and Zoe wearing a blonde wig and being Goldilocks. He wisely didn't share his fantasy with Zoe.

Ethan wanted to be Baby Bear more than ever. He knew he could do the bit where he was pleading on his knees not to be eaten alive. He bet Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman would cry if they were in the audience.

There was a break for drinks, then the auditions began.

All the kids came forward and had to act Baby Bear, and do a little dance from the show.

Lofty was terrified he'd fall over, but somehow made himself act and dance without a problem.

Robyn lost her fears as soon as she heard the catchy dance music, and was skipping, crawling and somersaulting across the huge stage quite happily.

Max performed the role with a cheekiness that showed through, and the director smiled.

Jacob concentrated on the athletic side of the dance, as did Cal. Ethan pushed the acting more.

After everybody had performed, the director told them to go into the Empress suite, where a buffet lunch had been laid on for them.

"Two hours for lunch, please. Meanwhile we'll make our choices and shortlist four of you. Those four will be called back for more auditions at a later date."

Ethan had Cal in stitches when he asked him why anybody would want to lie down on food before people ate it.

The kids had managed to eat a more of the lovely buffet than they'd expected to, and even had a little walk outside. Zax made Lofty walk between them and he was grateful for it even though it was just down the road and back.

Then it was time to find out…

"Thanks for your patience. The four children short-listed for Baby Bear are: Ethan Harvey, Ben Chiltern, Max Walker and Robyn Miller. But here's the good news: You were all excellent - the winners were just extra special - so we want the rest of you to play lion and tiger cubs."

Hugs all round.

Julia Chiltern had enjoyed a late liquid lunch and was still giggly when Ben came in later.

"Mum!" Ben told her, glowing, "I've been blacklisted!"

"Oh what have you done this time" she said, a little petulantly, and Ben replied:

"No, sorry, Mum, not blacklisted. Shortlisted!"

"Oh Ben", his mother sniggered, "You even trip over your words!"

She collapsed giggling on the sofa. Ben sighed and went to get himself a fruit drink.


	13. Chapter 13

All the teachers back at Holby Mixed Infants congratulated the kids on their getting roles.

"Even though Baby Bear's a star part, those lion and tiger cubs are very important", Mrs Beauchamp told them all with a smile.

"The director called me Ethan Harvey" Ethan giggled.

"I'll tell him when we take you in for callbacks", his guardian told him.

"Good cause I'll need it on my payslip. We get PAID, even if we're just cubs!"

Whatever other faults Julia Chiltern had, greed wasn't one of them. She only curbed Lofty's spending because she thought it was character building.

"I'll give you all my theatre pay, Mum", Ben had told her earnestly.

"No, that's yours. But what I would like you to do is open a savings account for it. Once you know what you'll earn, we'll go to Santander together."

Lofty felt quite proud until she said:

"Just be really careful when we go in and don't touch anything."

The rest of the cast was announced. Goldilocks was to be played by Melanie Slattery, a very pretty soap star who had proved she could sing by releasing a couple of good singles. The part of Nicolas went to Ryan Moss, who had done West End shows. Popular Miriam Hallam, who had her own series, Miss Poppy Investigates, a comedy detective programme, would be Madam Rosina. And one of the nastiest soap villains to be seen on TV was to play Grossini – Laurence Campbell. Laurence had horrified viewers of "Five Oaks Close" by the evil things he'd done as Richard Willerby. But the best news of all – there was to be a real troupe of dogs!

"Me, stage door, straight up to Melanie Slattery. Big kiss on her cheek" grinned Jacob. He wasn't too disappointed now he knew his TV idol would be in the same town for a whole month.

"You, straight up to Zoe Hanna. Big kiss on cheek; big punch on nose", grizzled Max.

"Walker, you've got a heart of stone."

"For you, yes. For Zoe, that squishy stuff that real hearts are made of."

Ethan wondered how he would ever wait for the results. He knew it was nice to be a cub but he wanted Baby Bear. He WAS Baby Bear! Ethan had an excellent memory for songs and had already memorised "The Bears are Home", their entrance song in the show. Every night in front of Mrs Beauchamp, Miss Freeman and Cal, he would sing it and they would clap hard. Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman, changing the lyrics slightly, did a quiet version of "The she-bear's home" in front of the rug every night when the kids were in bed.

Cal tried to pretend that he was a bit disappointed about not being even a cub in the show, but was secretly relieved. He was one of the Big Lads in the juniors now and they'd have teased him horribly if he'd been in a kiddies' show. But he could say to them "Hey shall we go and see my baby brother in his show and give him some support? Being eight carried a lot of responsibility. He was, however, not looking so forward to Christmas since Mrs Beauchamp had invited Jacob to come and stay with them. Ethan and Jacob were really close and Cal worried that he'd be pushed out a little. Mrs Beauchamp was already using that knowledge to see if she could improve somebody else's Christmas.

"Ben, I want you in my study please", she told Lofty the next morning.

Lofty's legs felt like jelly. Had anybody complained about him? He did try to keep out of trouble. Oh dear…

"Sit down, Ben. I was wondering if you'd do me a huge favour this Christmas when you're not working."

Lofty thought how grand 'working' sounded and relaxed. He wasn't in trouble.

"You know Jacob's coming over to stay to keep Ethan company?"

Lofty nodded.

"Well it's a bit mean of me taking you away from your mum and dad, but would you consider staying at my house over Christmas so Cal doesn't feel out of things? You and Eric Chiltern, of course."

"What do I need to bring for my keep, please?"

"Not a thing! If I'm cooking for five, I can just as easily cook for six. I can drive you over to the theatre every day with Ethan and Jacob – Jacob will be allowed to sit backstage if he's good – and bring you back home. Will you think about it?"

"I'd like to come, but my Mum…"

Mrs Beauchamp knew that Julia would welcome any opportunity for a child free house over Christmas.

"I'll phone her and ask her myself, Ben, then she'll know you're not being pushy."

"Thanks, Mrs Beauchamp, and I swear I won't break anything."

This time the teachers refrained from gearing the classes to the show as not everybody had a part.

Ethan, of course, had to investigate this:

"Why can't we draw the woods or the bears' cottage, Ms Chao?"

"Because not all the children in this class have been lucky, and it's not fair to them. So you're drawing a room in Mrs Beauchamp's house instead, just like Jacob's drawing his bedroom."

Ethan wanted to kick off but thought he might lose the part if he did, so he just nodded and drew the living room of Mrs Beauchamp's with a close up of Bob Hamster playing in his cage.

Mr Keogh, however, was not averse to gearing his classes to certain things.

"Okay, Ben. If a Wolfhound dog has been silly and is having puppies that are five out of ten parts Labrador…."

Zax discussed this uneasily later. They hoped Mr Keogh hadn't smacked Dervla's bum or anything like that.

They didn't hear Mr Keogh in his houseboat at night saying "You little wretch, you've broken my heart" in the same tone as if he was saying "Who's the best doggie in the world then?" while stroking behind her ears, which Dervla loved.

"I think if he was smacking her she'd be scared on Dervla days and not come out."

Jacob sighed.

"My dad says that dogs go and lick people who bash and kick them because it's their nature."

Both Ethan and Max burst into tears.

A frightened little deputation went to see Big Mac. Big Mac knew about animals.

"Please Big Mac, do you think Mr Keogh whacks Dervla because she's full of illegal puppies?"

"My goodness, whatever put that in your heads? If it makes you all feel better I stayed on his houseboat the other day. He was cuddling her and stroking her when he thought I wasn't watching."

Big Mac the Oracle had spoken. The kids were satisfied.


	14. Chapter 14

Ethan wasn't rude enough to open Mrs Beauchamp's private mail but he did look longingly at the envelopes on her mat before running down to her with them, to see if any writing looked like New Theatre Director type style.

How long did they expect a boy to wait?

Meanwhile all was not well in Zax World.

"I know you're upset because we can't be together all the time when I'm in the play but I've not forgotten you. We can have extra Zax meetings-"

"When?" bawled Zoe all of a sudden, "In the middle of a CLASS? Max, we have ten Zax meetings a week and I think we should cut them down."

Max looked at her as if she'd said "I think we should cut Dervla's head off and roast her."

"ZOE!" he gasped in shock.

"We only need a morning one. We could be doing other stuff in the afternoon. Like playing with footballs and stuff. And I want to go down to see the animals more."

"Don't hate me in case I get Baby Bear; please don't hate me!" wailed Max.

"I don't hate you, stupid! I want you to get Baby Bear" – Zoe had taken a hasty look round to see that Ethan wasn't listening – "But I want to do other stuff sometimes. With Robyn and Jess."

"Thought you was a femmonist."

"MAX! I can still do girl stuff and be a femmonist. Now look. And listen."

Zoe put her hand on her heart; Max was relieved she was doing the Gang Salute, at least.

"I don't care if you get Baby Bear or not but if you do I'll come and watch you with our Alison and clap my hands off. But we do not and I mean not, need any more Zax meetings."

Max decided too much stress was bad for him while he was waiting to see if he was top billing or a cub.

"Um, I think I'll go to the class library of a Monday afternoon."

It was a start, thought Zoe, and smiled at him, signifying a truce.

Ethan came bounding downstairs two at a time. He'd just heard the mail plop on to the mat. At least three of the envelopes looked like cards. It was only the beginning of December, what losers sent Christmas cards so early? But the bottom one looked like real typing. Then he saw the header on the envelope and his heart began to do a clog dance.

Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman heard the running. Mrs Beauchamp stopped bending Miss Freeman backwards over the living room table, and they sprang apart just as Ethan came running in.

"Mrs Beauchamp, oh, Mrs Beauchamp!"

"Let's open all the Christmas cards first, Connie!" teased Miss Freeman, but on seeing Ethan's lip quiver, she was sorry.

"This one looks like business. Let's have a look. Don't go, Ethan, I think this might be about you", said Mrs Beauchamp, pretending she didn't know why Ethan had come running in.

Miss Freeman motioned to a chair, smiling, and Ethan sat down right on the edge.

Mrs Beauchamp read the letter and then took a deep breath.

"Ethan, we need to start a bank account for you. You've got Baby Bear."

Ethan fell straight off the chair on to the floor.

"Nice Ben impression" giggled Miss Freeman.

Ben himself went over to his mum; as usual his dad was still in bed sleeping until it was time to get up for his shift. For that reason, Lofty knew not to shout even though he was excited.

"Mum, my letter's come. I'm a lion cub."

Julia glanced briefly over the letter, her office trained eyes noting key points like the production and salary dates, and the rate of pay.

"Right, well I think Baby Bear was a bit too much work for you Ben, but you can still have fun being a lion cub can't you? I'll take you to Santander after work on Tuesday."

Lofty took a deep breath.

"Mum if I pay can we go for something to eat in town after Santander?"

"Not when there's good food in the fridge, Ben."

"Oh… okay then."

But if we come home, you'll go straight into the kitchen, and then you'll read your book at tea and I won't be able to talk to you, he thought sadly.

"A tiger cub's great."

Zoe's smile was genuine.

Max smiled back but he felt a little squashed. If he'd been Baby Bear, Zoe would have been in the audience with their Alison and they'd both have cried when he was due to be thrown to the lions. He didn't know yet that there would be at least two tear-jerking scenes focused on the cubs.

Mr Keogh seemed to be his old grizzly but kind self the week before school broke up for Christmas.

"I'm bringing Dervla in a day early because we break up on Wednesday and it's the party then, so there's no time for a walk. Now you lot remember this or I'll have to kill you all horribly – you have NOT seen Dervla wearing a Santa hat tomorrow. Get it?"

Ethan was worried for Mrs Bateman who he didn't see as a dragon any more.

"Are you gonna be okay for Christmas, Mrs Bateman?"

"That's very kind of you to ask, Ethan. Yes my sister's coming over and on Boxing Day we're coming to your big opening night."

Ethan thought suddenly how the kids' rehearsals would start from Thursday onwards for a whole week – the other actors had already been rehearsing for a month – and his legs felt shaky.

"Ooh Mrs Bateman, I'm going to be ever so scared!"

"That naughty boy who told the whole class I was a big dragon, scared? I don't believe you, Ethan Hardy!"

The next day's Dervla walk was happy and sad at the same time. Dervla started off with her Santa hat on but she soon shook it off her head and worried it in her mouth. They were laughing at this when they heard a sharp voice saying:

"Take a long time to choose that Christmas present, Taylor, it's the only one you're getting this year."

The kids grinned at each other expecting to hear a tantrum. All they heard was a sad little voice saying

"Okay Mum."

As the kids walked past her, they could see that Taylor's face was very white and she looked drained. Dervla growled at her and Mr Keogh pulled her on. Only one of the Gang turned back and said "Hello. Um… have a nice Christmas" very quietly.


	15. Chapter 15

The Mixed Infants Christmas party was a riot with Ethan demonstrating to Mrs Bateman how to breakdance, and Mrs Bateman not quite managing it. The kids almost had Mrs Beauchamp in tears when they trotted over to her with a big parcel. Zax did the Gang Salute:

"Because you've been great to us Mrs Beauchamp."

"I'll open this at home on Christmas Day, and thanks, everybody."

"Now don't forget Ben, I'll be taking you home after Christmas Eve rehearsals. We'll call in to see your mum and get Eric Chiltern, so please ask your mum to have a bag packed for you."

As if Lofty could forget! He couldn't wait to go somewhere and not be told to shut up if he tried to chat at mealtimes, or be laughed at in a nasty way for falling over something. But he knew he wouldn't fall over at Mrs Beauchamp's.

"Will you be coming to our show Mr Keogh?" asked Ethan.

"I don't know, Ethan, it depends if I want Dervla to go to those money-grabbing cheats at Soggy – sorry, Doggy Day care."

Ethan's face fell a little. He didn't know that Mr Keogh had all but rushed out for his front row ticket for the first night as soon as booking had opened, and that his sinful dog's place was already booked for an overnight stay at Doggy Day care and Holiday Home.

"And for those of you who didn't get parts in the show, we've a new treat coming just before Easter, but this is for everybody. A Mr Martin Ashford is coming to teach you all some dance excercises. Just like they do on Strictly!"

A massive cheer went up. Zoe couldn't wait.

The party broke up after Father Christmas's visit (the kids all knew it was Big Mac with a false beard but were too polite to mention this) with high hopes for Christmas and beyond.

The first day of rehearsals was a little strange, but the kids were used to performing and fit in quickly. The stars were all nice in their way but funnily enough, the nicest of all was Laurence Campbell who was to play Grossini. Laurence had three youngsters of his own and understood them.

"If I'm horrid to you just remember it's acting like on the TV."

The director, whose actual name was Mr Parrish, said he had an idea to make Grossini even more evil, but he wanted to try it with the kids first to make sure they weren't scared.

Just to show how beaten the jungle animals are, when Grossini spitefully cracks his whip at one of the cubs, the lioness growls then backs off when he comes after her with the whip.

"I think we'll have you for that scene, Ben. Can you jump in fear when that whip's cracked? Don't worry, it can't hurt you for real."

Lofty's little jump of terror was genuine; the whip was very loud. But he knew it would make the audience even more against Grossini so he said he was fine.

The costume fitter came round the next day, and the kids were all delighted to see it was Baz, who had made all their costumes for 'Thorns'.

She pointed to Robyn at once:

"Watch this one, she shrinks!"

Robyn was made to swear that she'd have a good Christmas dinner and not make her tiger cub costume baggy.

Everybody agreed that the first scene of the show was going to make the audience clap along, suspecting nothing… then tug at their heartstrings.

All the animals, with their cubs, would be playing freely in a wide grassy space. The lions would dance first, their cheeky cubs running alongside them, to the tune of 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight. Then the music would change to an old jazz tune called Tiger Rag, and the tigers would have their turn.

Then the curtain would lift behind them to show that the animals had been dreaming of better days and the grim reality was that they were in cages, frightened and miserable, in Grossini's circus ground.

"People will cry and cry!" Ethan said, wiping away a little tear himself.

"You wait till tomorrow, there'll be something to make them – and all of you – laugh again."

Next day, to their delight, the kids were introduced to the ten trained dogs who'd play Madam Rosina's only animal act.

The dogs' routine came straight after the sad opening scene, showing how happy the dogs were by contrast. Lofty thought it might even make his mum laugh.

The theme to 'Match of the Day' played as the dogs, wearing either blue or red football shirts, ran on. Hubert, Madam's silly assistant, was the referee. A cheeky little Jack Russell dog kept getting in the way and butting the other dogs, who were trained to bark at him as if they were cross. Finally Hubert held up a red card and the little disgraced dog slunk off.

The kids were in stitches; Max and Ethan were holding on to each other laughing.

Then again, the sad reality; a trickle of applause and Madam and Goldilocks saying sadly 'backstage' how they could just about afford to feed the dogs and themselves till the end of the week.

"And I'm the big superhero who gets them lots and lots of money" observed the very modest Ethan Hardy.

Rehearsals finished earlier that day as it was Chrismas Eve. As promised, Mrs Beauchamp drove Lofty round to his parents house to pick up his bag and Eric Chiltern.

"Do you have a present for Ben?" she whispered to Mrs Chiltern, who looked embarrassed and pushed an envelope with 'Ben' on it towards her.

"There's some cash for him, I've no idea what he'd like", she admitted.

Mrs Beauchamp just about kept her temper even when she saw Julia stiffen slightly as Lofty went to hug her.

"You okay sharing with Cal, Ben?" Mrs Beauchamp showed Lofty the bed that had been put into Cal's room for him.

Okay? To be able to laugh and talk into the night with a friend? Lofty thought it really felt like Christmas this year.

"We've got a nice spot reserved for Eric Chiltern's cat bed by the radiator", Miss Freeman told him.

"But Eric Chiltern doesn't have a cat bed!"

"He does now. Merry early Christmas, Eric Chiltern!"

Lofty and Cal high-fived, then swapped fists with Jacob and Ethan.

"Now you boys are not to come downstairs later. Miss Freeman and I have things to do and we don't want bad boys in the way!"


	16. Chapter 16

Next morning Lofty and Ethan both wished they could eat a ton of brandy butter to calm their nerves, even though their small guts felt as if they couldn't manage a bite of breakfast.

Mrs Beauchamp insisted that they had at least one slice of toast and a glass of milk with breakfast. Jacob was delighted by the breakfast bar in the kitchen and the huge choice for breakfast. However he didn't want to stuff himself when Ethan couldn't eat. Feisty as he was, Jacob was a caring lad.

"Make sure our Ethan brushes his teeth after his breakfast, he's going to be a staaaar!" teased Cal.

"I always brush my teeth, boys who don't brush their teeth don't become babe magnets!" shouted Ethan, running up to the bathroom to make himself gorgeous.

"Please may I be excused?" Lofty asked. Mrs Beauchamp kept a straight face but wanted to laugh at the little boy's formal politeness.

"Well of course, Ben, but Ethan will be at least five minutes more. You can be next though."

"Err… I just wanted to give Eric Chiltern a good luck cuddle before I do my teeth."

"Ah, of course!"

Lofty was glad that his mum had bought him a travel toothbrush and paste set especially for his stay. If only she hadn't added:

"Knowing you, you'd have forgotten to pack one and somebody would have had to go to the Spar."

Then, finally they were off to the theatre for a final dress rehearsal and then the special Boxing Day performance at six o' clock…

The dress rehearsal had gone well. Ethan had wondered if Max would be mean to him because Max had been in line for Baby Bear, but Max was his normal unruffled self. The rehearsal had gone well, with the usual changes and interruptions that go with every dress rehearsal of every show.

"Ben, I've a special little bit for you to learn for tonight. Can you go into the other room with Miss Pritchett and learn it while the rest of the rehearsal goes ahead? Somebody will fetch you in."

Lofty was delighted to find that he'd been given a little dance of joy at the end, after Grossini has been locked up and the animals have been promised a new, happy life in a new Safari Park.

"Now", Miss Pritchett, the dance instructor, told him cheerfully, "It won't matter a jot whether or not you fall over in the dance, Ben. Other boys have done that in other parts. The audience will just see a happy, free little creature celebrating his new life."

Ethan gave Lofty a little scowl when he went out for his extra dance practise and then stopped. He was getting like Dudley Dursley and he'd already come close to that on Christmas Day when he counted all the piles of presents to see if he'd got the most. As a matter of fact he had.

A rest, and then nibbles and drinks and it was time to go on stage for the real show.


	17. Chapter 17

The curtains swung back, no time for fear any more. Lofty snuggled up to the lady who played his mum, and the story began. The audience went 'ahhhh' as the lion and lioness played with their little cub, and then clapped along happily as Robyn and Max jived and swung their Tiger tails round to the Tiger Rag music.

"Oh my God, Mr Keogh's bang on the front row!" thought Robyn and nearly missed a step, but she pulled back just in time.

Then a sad little gasp from the audience at the misery of the circus. Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman were weepy already.

Relief followed, with the Holby Curs versus Holby Canines football match. Mr Keogh laughed louder than anybody else then went very quiet and red for a while.

The adults got some huge applause as they were well-known and the story progressed nicely.

And then it was time for Ethan to strut on stage with his 'parents' and join them in singing "The Bears are Home":

"To work up a big appetite for breakfast, through the forest we adore to roam,

We've chatted to the bees, and we've hugged a lot of trees, now the bears are home!"

The song and Ethan's little dance nearly brought the house down.

There were more laughs to come as the Bears introduced themselves to their new friend Goldilocks:

DAD BEAR: We should be introduced, my dear, if we're going to save your show!

(Holding out his paw to shake.) I'm Brutus Bruin-

MUM BEAR: (Curtseying.) -Brunhilda Bruin-

BABY BEAR: (Wiggling his bum at the audience.) I'm Trouble Brewin'!

MUM AND DAD BEAR: (Despairingly.) WE KNOW!

Ethan loved that bit. Able to wiggle his bum and not to be told off for it! Maaagic!

Mr Keogh was almost weeping with laughter.

The act ended with a triumphant march round the stage of all the performers in Madam Rosina's circus, which was now THE only circus worth visiting, and Count Nicholas vowing he'd join with the bears to help free the poor creatures at Grossini's. Sadly, there were two of Grossini's spies planted in the crowd who had been sent by their master to find out the talking bears' secret…

Lofty, Ethan, Max and Robyn hugged backstage in the interval.

"They love me! They loooove me!" Ethan kept saying.

"Do you think they've got the message about not going to circuses that are bad to animals?" asked Lofty anxiously.

Cal was round backstage and told them all they'd been ace.

"Is that good or is our Cal bitching?" Ethan demanded to know.

The second act began with a performance by the Bears. Then Goldilocks told Baby Bear he could come shopping with her in the village "But if you steal any honey I shan't love you any more". Alas, Grossini's henchmen were lurking in the village. They grabbed Goldilocks on her way back through the woods, and held her until their cronies had run off with Baby Bear, leaving a note that said unless Goldilocks and her mother turned their circus over to Grossini, and Goldie married him, Baby Bear would be devoured by the lions and tigers.

Mr Keogh's 'boos' were almost as loud as those of Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman.

The spirit of the forest comforted Goldie and told her that her brave Count would help win the day with a little help from some special friends.

The Count foolishly went alone to Grossini's circus pitch, and a sword fight began. Grossini, mainly by fighting dirty, got the upper hand. He held Nicolas at sword point but took a little too long to gloat…

Baby Bear sat trembling in his cage, awaiting his horrible end. Suddenly he heard the cage doors open and began to cry. So did Mrs Beauchamp, Miss Freeman and Mr Keogh.

But it's the little cub's paw Baby Bear felt on his shoulder, and the cub motioned for him to be quiet. He showed Baby Bear the lions, tigers and the elephant creeping up. The lion took Grossini by the shoulder and Baby Bear told him to let go of Nicolas at once. Nicolas ran to Goldilocks as the animals had their revenge and Grossini was caged and whimpering. Baby Bear got one really naughty line as he's dancing round the former tyrant's cage:

"He'd better not annoy me, 'cause I think I need to wee!"

He added to this by singing in a mock-tenor voice:

"Toreador, don't wee upon the floor. Use Bad Guy's head, that's what it's for."

His parents made it quite clear that he was to do no such thing.

Count Nicholas told the lions and tigers they weren't going to be in Madam Rosina's show because she wouldn't break her rule of having captive animals as performers. Instead they would 'live like lords' in a huge safari park, with lots to eat and warm cages at night.

The delighted creatures all strut off, with the two little tigers play-fighting and hugging, and then the little lion cub had his solo dance.

The final scene was a huge glamorous wedding set in the Safari Park.

Everybody got loud applause, even Grossini though he was booed as well.

Seeing Mr and Mrs Chiltern in their row, Mrs Beauchamp invited them to come backstage with her group afterwards. Big Mistake.

"Did you like it, Mum?" Lofty asked hopefully.

"Well, everybody was good, darling. Tell me again, which one were you?"

"He was the bloody Lion Cub! Didn't you buy a programme?" bawled Mr Keogh.

Cal gave Lofty a massive man hug but the damage was done, and the little boy was quiet for a few minutes.


	18. Chapter 18

The kids, teachers and friends all went out of the stage door, and Mr Keogh immediately put his hands on Lofty's shoulders protectively at the size of the crowd. The kids thought they'd come for the adult actors, but a little girl was already coming over to Ethan.

"You're Baby Bear aren't you? Will you sign my book?"

Ethan grinned and signed with a nice pen that Mrs Beauchamp lent him.

"Oh please" a shy little boy asked Lofty, "Will you sign for me? You were great as that cub."

Lofty looked incredulous, then beamed and asked the little boy's name. His writing was a bit wonky but the little boy was thrilled. Two little girls were waiting behind him for their turn with Lofty.

The kids signed until their hands ached, then Mr Keogh said to the few people who remained:

"Sorry, guys, it's very late but we're here every night till the end of January."

"I'm only here tonight" came a voice. Its owner must have been at least eighty.

Everybody liked the old lady, and were happy to sign for her. Then the teachers led the kids through the crowd who were now mainly waiting for the adults.

"I don't feel like cooking tonight, who's up for an Indian?"

"Will I like it?" asked Ethan dubiously, making the adults laugh.

Mrs Beauchamp tried him with a small portion of Korma and Ethan was an instant fan.

"Okay mate?" Mr Keogh asked Lofty.

"Yes thanks Mr Keogh."

"All those people who liked your acting! You should be proud, Ben!"

Lofty smiled and nibbled on his Naan bread. He felt better now but oh, why hadn't his mum bought a programme?

"Is there pudding?" asked Ethan hopefully after he'd scoffed his main course.

"We'll never get Ethan Hardy out of here till he's tasted ice cream." Mrs Beauchamp raised her voice:

"Can we have the dessert menu please?"

Max thought how wonderful it would be to be grown up and bring Zoe into this lovely place with its gold decorations and red velvet. He'd wait till she'd had her pudding, and coffee too if she wanted, then he'd ask her to marry him.

"I know a joke!" said Cal on the ride back to Mrs Beauchamp's.

Nobody told him to be quiet so he continued:

"Well these robbers break into the flat above an Indian restaurant and grab the baby and threaten to thrown him into the hot curry if the family doesn't hand over the takings. But the mum's ready for them and gets out a big gun, and they have to go on their knees till the police arrive. The police tell her she was very brave and she says "NOBODY puts Baby in the Korma!"

They all laughed, but Lofty worried for the baby for a bit.

The next day was a no matinee day, so the arrangement was for lessons till three then off to the theatre to be ready for the evening's show. But somebody turned up at the school wanting to see Mrs Beauchamp.

The kids were called into the Assembly hall.

"Okay, everybody who's in the show, this is Mr Price from the Holby Gazette. He wants to do an interview with you."

"You'll want me, I'm Baby Bear" said the bold Ethan Hardy.

Mr Price was kind and his questions overcame Lofty's shyness:

"Now Ben, you were really good as that cub, how did you manage to make your movements so good?"

"I watched my cat at home because lions are big cats, aren't they?"

Max and Robyn were complimented on their jiving, and Max mentioned how they were going to have ballroom exercise lessons soon.

He wouldn't have bothered if he could have foretold the near future.

It was the weekend that Mrs Beauchamp was to take Lofty out shopping. Ethan was a bit grizzly about it until Mrs Beauchamp reminded him how Mrs Chiltern had squashed Lofty's feelings about his part in the show.

"Okay then, he's nice, Ben. He knows I'm best in the show and doesn't argue about it."

Ethan settled down to a nice game of Cluedo with Miss Freeman and the other boys.

"Please Mrs Beauchamp" Lofty asked anxiously in the car, " When we've found a toy out of some of my money, can we go for tea and a cake?"

It was unusual for him to make a request like this.

"Well of course, Ben, I think I can afford that."

"No, I want to pay please. I wanted to do it for my mum the other week but she said there was food in the fridge."

Mrs Beauchamp was uneasy with taking the little boy's money but she guessed how much this meant to him.

"What a treat for me, Ben, thank you!"

They were able to find a great bargain that didn't swallow up all of Lofty's present money, a toy planet with Aliens and Earthlings for a big battle. On to the coffee shop.

Mrs Beauchamp had deliberately chosen one that had a 'drink and cake included' offer.

The waitress brought the tray over and put the bill down near Mrs Beauchamp but she moved it over to Lofty.

"This nice young man's treating me today", she said, and Lofty felt really proud.

"Aren't you a nice boy, treating your mum?"

"She's my headmistress" Lofty smiled.

As they ate, Mrs Chiltern saw them through the window and called in.

"Hello, Ben, I hope you're being good?"

Lofty, suddenly shy, nodded.

"I see he's talked you into buying him cake."

"No actually, Mrs Chiltern, he's the one treating me out of his Christmas money. Your son's a generous boy."

"Oh… well done, Ben, see you after New Year."

Mrs Chiltern, the wind taken out of her sails, hurried off. Lofty laughed with Mrs Beauchamp but thought how it was one of those laughs that wanted to be a cry as well.

New Year's Eve at Mrs Beauchamp's was magical. The boys were allowed the tiniest bit of wine diluted in big glasses of fizzy water, and they toasted the New Year snuggled up on the sofa together. Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman put them all back to bed, and toasted the New Year in their own way. The kids, having had a sleep after the show, had been promised they could, just for once, get up for the New Year.

It snowed heavily on New Year's Day and Ethan was like a caged lion (or bear) looking out of the window. Normally he loved snow but supposing it didn't stop for the next day when the theatre was open again and nobody could come to see him as Baby Bear?

The next day was the kids' final day off before going back to school again. It was the best of both worlds, plenty of snow to play in but clear roads, though the pavements weren't a hundred per cent safe. Zoe and Max, thrilled to be invited over, came with Max's new sledge for everybody to play on.

"Did you see me and our Alison crying when you were in the cage?" she asked Ethan.

Max felt squashed, and wished he could have been Baby Bear so Zoe and their Alison had cried for him.

He forgot 'be careful what you wish for' had a very nasty way of turning round on people.

"Watch me go! Watch me go!" yelled Ethan, finding a nice icy patch to slide on that was off the main pavement. Mrs Beauchamp had strict rules about not sliding on the pavements.

Suddenly there was a scream, and Ethan went flying into space, landing heavily.

Mrs Beauchamp called the ambulance, and it came very quickly, but there was no way to make things better; the paramedic already said Ethan's leg was almost certainly broken.

As Ethan was carried into the ambulance on a stretcher, he yelled at Max:

"It's you! You did this! You wanted Baby Bear so you cursed me! Devil boy! Devil boy!"

Poor Max, who was Ethan's understudy, wanted to curl up and die.


	19. Chapter 19

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm bringing in a past character again, who, like Jeff, wasn't so lucky in the TV series but that's the joy of fan fiction, to revive a popular character.

"I can't do it, Mrs Beauchamp. I can't betray Ethan like that" wept Max, "And when he finds out about Zoe…"

As Max was going to have to give up his tiger role to take over as Baby Bear, the child who had been nearest to being cast – Zoe – had been offered the tiger cub role.

"Max, you're good to not want to betray Ethan but you haven't betrayed him, he just had the most rubbish luck. I know you don't want to take his part but let me tell you what will happen if you don't. They'll never find somebody who knows Baby Bear's lines by tonight. So they show will be cancelled. Kids who were going to that show, maybe as a late Christmas treat, are going to be really upset. Maybe there'll be fans of Melanie's and Ryan's who are travelling to see them. Don't spoil it for them, Max, please."

"I'll do it, Mrs Beauchamp. But I'll feel bad for Ethan all the same."

Nobody could have been feeling as bad for Ethan as Ethan felt at that moment. He'd had the operation on his leg and had been violently sick because of his reaction to the anaesthetic and then the morphine to kill his pain. An anti-nausea injection had made him feel much better the next day and the post-operation pain soon only needed a child-friendly painkiller to cure it, but Ethan wanted to die. He sat in his bed with his back turned to the nurses, and however kind they were, he just cried. Then the doctor did his rounds.

"Who's this?" he said quietly to a nurse. The nurse explained the situation.

"Ethan!" said the doctor, quite sharply. Ethan looked at him and the doctor handed him a tissue to clean up his face.

"Now, you, young man, are being very silly. It's, what, early January? The show ends on the 30th? You've had your operation already, you'll be having a plaster cast put on your leg tomorrow… if you're a really good boy and do what you're told, there's every chance you can be back in that show for the final night. You won't be able to walk or dance as Baby Bear but I'm sure the director will write it into the script that he was playing in the woods and came a cropper. You can have a little wheelbarrow to come and go offstage, and your wheelbarrow can go into the cage with you for that final scene. When the lions and tigers rescue you, you can be wheeled along like a hero. Okay, I believe you wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch and only drink water? You make sure you eat your tea tonight, do everything – and I mean everything – the nurses tell you and you'll be treading those boards again for the final night."

The doctor put a whole box of tissues on Ethan's bedside table, and smiled at him.

"Thanks, Doctor…?"

"Jordan. Nick Jordan."

"Um…. How do you know so much about the story?

"I was in the front row on Boxing Night, Ethan. My Uncle's the director!"

As soon as his shift was over, Dr Jordan rang his Uncle, who was delighted with the idea of Ethan's final night of fame.

The nurses couldn't believe the change in Ethan after the doctor's visit. He ate his tea without protest and was even pleased because there was ice cream, was as good as gold when he had his plaster cast fitted, and even played draughts with one of the nurses until his bedtime. Mrs Beauchamp had been dreading her visit to the hospital, but Ethan told her all about his new hero, Dr Jordan, and she gave him a big card signed by the others.

"You can tell Max I don't hate him any more. But warn him I'll be back for that last night!"

Cal, of course, suspected Lebsion Magic was involved in his stroppy little brother's change of heart. Ethan had been screaming at Max, now he was quite happy when Max and Zoe visited. Max played the audience reaction to himself down and just said "I did okay but I think they wanted you".

Zoe said she liked jiving with Robyn and that everybody was missing Ethan so much.

The month went well after that; Ethan was allowed to recover at home after two weeks but was made to swear that he wouldn't try walking anywhere without his Zimmer frame which would then be replaced by a pair of crutches in one week's time.

A rather sad Lofty had gone back home to his mum and dad, but told himself not to be greedy, he'd had a lovely time at Mrs Beauchamp's and the headmistress was still driving him to and from the show each day, so his mum had nothing to whine about, as Mrs Beauchamp had told Miss Freeman.

Mr Ashford came to the school to start teaching the dance exercise classes. Ethan was 'hopping, popping mad' as he told Mrs Beauchamp because he'd missed the first few classes. Zoe began to get a huge crush on Mr Ashford and tried her best to hide it from Max.

On the final week of the show, the director had a long chat with his nephew about Ethan Hardy's health and then called Lofty into his office.

Naturally Lofty wondered what he'd done wrong.

"We need you to help us out, Ben, as Ethan will be back for the final night but he has to be wheeled round and can't do any dances so there's a gap to fill. We want to extend the lion cub's dance and we thought it would be nice to invite some children from the audience on stage – they'll have 'lucky tickets' – to dance behind you. Baby Bear will be wheeled on and say he's the judge of the dancing, and the kids will all get a prize, but the smallest among them will be picked out as the winner. Sounds good?"

Lofty nodded. Ethan would like to be a talent show judge!

And the big final night arrived. Ethan woke up in terror in case he couldn't hack it.


	20. Chapter 20

"Now we've put plenty of your cushioning inside your wheelbarrow so it doesn't hurt", said the director to Ethan, who was lying on a couch looking rather proudly at his cast, which had been signed by everybody he knew.

"You will promise me, won't you, Ethan, that if you feel any pain at all or you're scared to do this, you'll tell me?"

Ethan nodded, but had no intention of letting on that he was scared. He'd cried enough about losing Baby Bear – he HAD to get his last night back, he just had to. He'd worked like a little Trojan that afternoon to learn his new lines.

"All right mate?" asked Lofty, ready to go on in his lion cub costume.

"Of course!" Ethan said proudly.

"Look, Ethan, you won't take any risks will you? Dr Jordan said it could set you back for at least a week if…"

"Stop fussing me, our Cal! And go back to your seat or you'll miss the opening. And…" Ethan felt like being charitable, "The cubs are pretty stunning in this."

Max felt a little pang; he was back to being a cub and poor Zoe was back to being nobody. He hoped she'd be okay out there sitting next to Cal.

As a matter of fact, Zoe was just fine back in the audience. She had Cal on one side, that handsome doctor that had been looking after Ethan on the other, and beyond him, Mr Ashford. Zoe liked Max a lot but was convinced she was falling in love with the dance teacher and the doctor together. She hadn't told Max this in case it put him off his cub steps.

"Overture and beginners, please!" came the voice.

Lofty and Max made big thumbs up signs to Ethan and hurried to take their places on stage.

It was Ethan's big entrance, the bouncy music for 'The Bears are home' was starting.

The applause was tremendous as Ethan was wheeled on by Dad and Mum Bear.

Completely ignoring Goldilocks's sleeping figure in Baby Bear's bed, the adult bears went into the new dialogue after the song:

"Trouble Bruin, what did we tell you before we went out?"

"Not to climb the trees."

"And what did you do as soon as we got out?"

"Climbed the trees."

"And what happens when you do things you're told not to and fall out of a tree?"

Baby Bear hung his head.

"Wheelbarrow."

The story progressed; the villainous henchmen pretended to struggle with Goldilocks and take Baby Bear's wheelbarrow from her. He was wailing aloud for his mum and dad as he was wheeled away, and Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman cried all over again.

Baby Bear was saved, and Lofty went into his little cub dance, as an excited little group of children formed a line behind him, copying his dance movements. His Lordship was wheeled on to judge:

"You were all awesome, so here's a prize for everybody…."

Max and Robyn came on to hand out prizes, and, as is tradition in Christmas entertainment, there was no prize left for the smallest child, a little boy called Dave who was trying to grin bravely.

"Hey!" Ethan banged on the sides of his wheelbarrow, "Where's Dave's prize? He's our WINNER!"

On came the two adult lions with a massive bag which they handed to a grinning Dave.

The grand Safari Park wedding took place, and then curtain calls. The applause for Ethan was tremendous. Ethan was lifted from his wheelbarrow into a wheelchair as he came off stage, Dr Nick checked him over, and said he'd be just fine, and the director had a final surprise for him.

"We want you back next year, Ethan, we're doing Wizard of Oz and we'd like you to try for Chief Munchkin."

They had to wait a little while at the stage door; everybody wanted Ethan's autograph, and most people wanted the cubs to sign for them.

Then it was off to the Indian Restaurant again.

"Kormaaaa!" Ethan sang gleefully as the staff settled his wheelchair at the table.

Zoe had been invited to compensate for her losing her part for the last night. She was thrilled.

"We'll come here when we're big and I'll ask you to marry me", Max told her.

She felt guilty. How could she tell him she didn't love him any more?

"That'll be awesome!"

Oh dear, it was hard being a girl in love with two and a half people at once.

Ethan had to go back to the hospital next day but it was just for a precaution, not staying there. He was told his cast could come off the next week and then his physiotherapy would begin the week after that. Mrs Beauchamp, knowing how physio could involve a lot of kneading of limbs and excercises, was uneasy about Ethan's reaction.

Then an incident drove Ethan from the main priority in everybody's mind, except perhaps Ethan's.

A pleasant young supply teacher who said they could call him 'Abs' took Mr Keogh's class. Abs explained that Dervla was having her puppies and Mr Keogh wanted to be with her. A complete contrast from the last horrible supply teacher, Vernon, Abs told the entire class they were stars and added several gold ones to their lists.

Zax requested a group hug for Dervla and her puppies at break.

By lunchtime the awful news came through. Only one little pup had survived the birth. Dervla was very ill and, though there was no chance of her dying, would never have puppies again.

It was obvious that poor Mr Keogh wouldn't come in to school the next day.


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Oh dear, not good on my part – this is the second 'lone animal survives birth' theme I've used for FBG. Will try to be more diverse with my ideas in future.

Next day Zax had a special memorial meeting for the poor puppies. Jacob read out a sad little poem about good puppies going straight to heaven, but none of the kids could imagine a bad puppy anyway. A collection was called for but Robyn mentioned that she didn't think a present would help Mr Keogh at a time like this. They decided to donate their cash to the PDSA shop in town, and Mrs Dixon took them there at lunchtime.

The next day Mr Keogh turned up at school. The kids had decided to just be as good as they could during sums, though Ethan, feeling grizzly because his plaster cast itched horribly and he wasn't going to get it removed until the next day, was worried he'd let Mr Keogh down.

But before they could get out their sum books, Mr Keogh said to them all:

"You heard about Dervla?"

They all nodded solemnly.

"At least she's still with me, but I'll never get those pure Wolfhound pups I wanted now. But that's life."

"How's the new puppy?" asked Jacob.

"With the vet. She has a name though."

Mr Keogh wrote "Grainne" on the blackboard.

The kids thought Grainy was a funny name for a puppy but Mr Keogh told them it was pronounced "Grahnia."

"It's Irish, like Dervla. I'm very sorry to anybody who was promised a pup but I'm not getting rid of this one."

"When can we take her on walks?"

"Oh, that won't be for a while, Ethan, she's very tiny. And Dervla won't be able to come out for a few weeks."

Ethan thought how when one lovely thing stopped happening, bad things often started.

Lofty gave Eric Chiltern a special cuddle that night and kissed the little cat behind its ear.

"Ben, don't do that, it's silly and unhygienic."

Lofty thought only his mum could say something like that. He gave Eric Chiltern a long game of Bat Paws instead. Lofty would hold up his hands near Eric and Eric would bat at them with his paws. Eric Chiltern always purred when they played that.

Next day Ethan went to the hospital instead of school. Mrs Beauchamp had bought him a new book to read in case he had a long wait. She felt so sorry for him as he was wheeled off to have his cast removed; he looked so small and vulnerable.

It took quite a while and Ethan was terrified that they'd cut his leg, he had to stay healthy now because he was going to be a future Munchkin. Then he had to have X rays. But he was finally wheeled back with his leg looking skinny and pale.

He did not like the physiotherapy he had to undergo in the next few weeks:

"Mrs Beauchamp, that woman might look nice but she punched and punched my leg!"

Soon the miseries of physiotherapy were just a memory and so were Ethan's crutches. One morning before Easter Mrs Beauchamp called Ethan, Max, Lofty and Robyn into her study.

"The old ladies who have that little club in town are having an Easter bonnet competition. They want to know if you four would like to be judges because you're celebrities because of being in Goldilocks."

"Do we have to kiss them?" asked Max nervously.

"They'll expect it from ME!" said Mr Bighead Hardy.


	22. Chapter 22

Next day in History class Mrs Bateman said that in honour of Grainne, she'd tell them about the famous pirate Grainne O'Malley and explained that Grainne was the Irish version of Grace. Grainne had been very brave, and when her brothers had been captured by the English, she went to Queen Elizabeth the First herself and requested their release. When Grainne had sneezed in the court, the Queen had given her a lace handkerchief and Grainne had thrown in into the fire into wiping her nose on it. The court was scandalised! Grainne explained that in Ireland it was considered very wrong to have a snotty (Mrs Bateman said 'snotty', Ethan whooped in his head) handkerchief in one's pocket. Grainne could have been executed for burning the Queen's gift but Elizabeth had laughed and had been kind to her.

"I tell you what, you guys love acting, so we'll put a little play together about Grainne to do before summer. Robyn, you should be Grainne with that lovely fiery hair." Mrs Bateman made Robyn's day and Lofty felt confident enough to reply cheekily:

"You'll have to watch her, Mrs Bateman, she shrinks out of all her costumes!"

Robyn hit Lofty but it was a gentle hit and he giggled, so she wasn't told off.

The week before Easter, the kids went along to the Holby Silver Surfer's club to judge the bonnets. They got the marks by each young judge writing down his or her favourite. They'd add up the scores for all the old ladies A twinkly-eyed old lady called Comfort won with her lovely straw hat covered in paper flowers and Ethan was sent to the front to present the prize, a Marks and Spencer's voucher.

"My little grandson loves their cakes and he's got a birthday coming up so this is just right!" Comfort grinned.

Then one of the old ladies asked if Ethan would sing "The Bears are Home" for her.

Ethan was a little shy at first but being Ethan Hardy, Boy Wonder, (or so he called himself lately) he soon found his voice and everybody sang the final chorus. The old ladies pinched the kids' cheeks and made a fuss of them, and they were given bags of little cakes to take back to school, which they thanked the old ladies for politely.

"Let's ask Mrs Beauchamp to save these for us and not eat them up in the canteen. Miss Honey will think we don't like her cakes."

Boy Wonder Ethan may be, but he cared about the ladies in his life.

The kids were looking forward to Easter, even though Lofty once again had an envelope shoved at him:

"You know what you like best, or you can buy one of those stupid Alien comics if you like."

He really didn't fancy a whole two weeks away from school; people didn't laugh nastily at him there, they laughed with him.

He was sitting cuddling Eric Chiltern when the phone call came.

"My goodness Mrs Beauchamp, another stay?" he heard his mother say and his heart gave a hopeful little thump.

"Ben! You're wanted on the phone. Don't bore Mrs Beauchamp too long with your prattling."

"Hi Ben, Jacob's coming over for Easter so poor Cal's going to feel pushed out again. Will you come and keep him company? You don't need to bring anything but Eric Chiltern, your clothes and a favourite book."

"Ooh thanks. When should I be ready, or do you want Mum to bring me over?"

"We'll come and get you on Easter Saturday at 11am. I think we'll be going on at least one day trip. Sounds good?"

"I'll just check…" Ben turned to his mum.

"Can I go to Mrs Beauchamp's for Easter please Mum?"

It would be lovely, he thought, much as he enjoyed staying at Mrs Beauchamp's, if his mum said just for once:

"But I'd miss you so much Ben. Can't you stay with me and your dad this time?"

But she didn't. She just said:

"Well don't get under people's feet and do as you're told, and you can go."

Ben turned back to the phone.

"Yes please, I can come."

"Wonderful! See you soon Ben."

Ben gathered up Eric Chiltern in his arms and took him into his own bedroom where his mum wouldn't hear him:

He put on a fake American accent:

"You and me, Kitty, we're gonna go travellin'!"


	23. Chapter 23

"Good to see you again mate", Cal said to Lofty, "Mrs Beauchamp's set your bed up."

"Mrs Beauchamp and Mrs Freeman were in here yesterday, you could hear them banging and banging and BANGING, and they were just setting up your bed", Ethan, lurking in the doorway with Jacob, commented.

Cal would have loved to have confided in Lofty about Lebsion magic. But he knew he'd break the magic if he did. He wondered if a big Junior lad like himself should still be believing in Lebsion Magic.

"You'll all be Juniors in September", he said to change the subject. Ethan began to wail.

"I don't waaaant to leave Mixed Infants ever!"

Cal, who was quite good at drawing, drew a picture of Ethan with lots of wrinkles and on a Zimmer Frame, going in through a door that said "Holby Mixed Infants."

Ethan just had to laugh and the moment was saved.

Next day Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman took the boys to the local park, which was one of those nice big ones with a big recreation ground with swings, some gardens to walk about in, and a big duck pond.

"Get a stone, Ben, and see if you can knock one of those out. Then we can have duck for dinner and Eric Chiltern can have some" suggested the wicked Cal. Lofty and Jacob just laughed but Ethan was uneasy, supposing Cal really meant it?

"Where's Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman?"

"They went to play on the swings", Jacob chuckled.

"If the park keeper sees them, they'll get done. Because you're only supposed to go on those swings till you're fourteen and I _think_ they're older than that", Ethan fretted.

They would definitely get done if the park keeper saw them, thought Cal.

But the ladies had been playing behind a huge tree near the recreation ground where the park keeper's sharp eyes wouldn't spot them.

When they got home they were allowed to have a piece out of one of their Easter Eggs with a drink.

"I want a piece of Ben's, he's got white chocolate" Ethan demanded.

Knowing Lofty would just hand a piece over without protest, Mrs Beauchamp stepped in.

"In that case you have to swap Ben a piece of yours."

"He's not eaten much of his so he can't want it."

"I got told off last year for letting an Easter egg get melty and then I dropped it on my t shirt", Lofty confessed.

"In this house you're nobody till you've dropped melty chocolate on your t shirt" said Miss Freeman with a naughty meaningful look at Mrs Beauchamp.

In the end Cal and Jacob, then Lofty and Ethan, solemnly swapped pieces of Easter Egg. Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman went out into the garden to drop chocolate on their T shirts. Ethan knew this because he'd heard them daring each other.

Next day after breakfast the boys were told they were going on a mystery trip. They piled into the car and off they went.

To their great joy they found themselves in a theme park with different 'lands'. Mrs Beauchamp made sure Lofty felt safe in the crowds. Ethan was going to start being whiney about Lofty holding Mrs Beauchamp's hand when Cal whispered "Roman slaves" to him and he put on a smile.

"Mrs Beauchamp", Lofty whispered, "Won't this cost a big massive lot of money?"

"I get a lot of vouchers for places like this when I go shopping, so don't worry Ben. Er… hasn't your mum ever taken you anywhere like this?"

"She's busy at work and then she sleeps late at weekends."

The theme park was brilliant, the kids all had a whale of a time, and whooped with joy on seeing it had a zoo as well. Ben loved the big cats, Ethan the monkeys and the penguins, Cal the reptiles and Jacob just loved everything. They had a picnic lunch which kept them going until Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman had cooked the big evening meal together when they got home.

Lofty and Jacob wondered how they'd ever bear to go up to Juniors in the autumn and not be taught by Mrs Beauchamp any more.

"She might let us still come over to play with Cal and Ethan", mused Jacob.

"I'd like that."

The break went by quickly but the first day back to school was eased by the fact that Mr Keogh brought Grainne Puppy to show the class. They all agreed that she was gorgeous.

"She'll be in Big Mac's hut all day if anybody wants to stroke her. Please don't feed her though or she could be ill. And Dervla's back for walks next week."

Max was looking forward to the first Zax meeting of the summer term.

What he wasn't prepared for was Zoe asking him to meet her by the big tree near Big Mac's hut. He thought they were going in to see Grainne Puppy together.

"Looking forward to stroking Grainne.?"

"In a minute…. Max, I don't want to be your girlfriend any more. I'm in love with Mr Ashford", blurted Zoe.

Poor Max was gobsmacked.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: Mr Ashforth's character has been changed for this fanfic.

Zax meetings were strained to say the least after Zoe's little bombshell. It seemed to Ethan that Snap and Sharpie were sitting in judgement on her and were cross with her for spoiling Zax. Max excused himself from meetings and asked the others to fill him in. They did this gladly but it wasn't the same.

Mrs Bateman told Ethan as kindly as she could in the next history lesson that because he'd been Baby Bear he couldn't have a big part in 'Pirate Queen'. Ethan felt a big kicking off starting up then realised it was fair and right so he just gave a weak grin and nodded. Jeff and Max were cast as Grainne O'Malley's imprisoned brothers. Zoe was just a pirate wench on board ship and was convinced that Mrs Bateman was taking Max's side.

In early June the play was ready to perform and all the teachers watched it in the Assembly hall and clapped till their hands tingled, even Mr Keogh.

It began with Jeff and Max languishing in a dungeon and Max saying:

"We shall be hanged. Our sister will not be any help, all girls care for is dancing and the young swains of the village."

Then came the drama of Grainne's visit to court, and the handkerchief incident, which got lots of appreciative laughter.

Noel played a member of the Queen's guards who went to the dungeon and told the sullen turnkey (a very out of character Lofty) that the prisoners were to be freed. Max and Jeff strutted out gleefully.

The final scene was on board ship with the brothers toasting their fine Pirate sister in – what else? – tankards of rum, which was actually blackcurrant juice. Jeff was rather hoping for rum.

The audience loved it and Mr Keogh stood up to say that they'd done Grainne Puppy total justice.

Max would have been over the moon but his heart was, as he said sadly to Lofty, "Fizzically broken." Actually his stomach hurt a bit lately but that was with not getting a proper breakfast because of his being upset.

During the next few days Zoe began to irritate the rest of the class during dance exercise lessons. She would do everything with an exaggerated smile on her face and was always late for her next class because she stayed behind to discuss different moves with Mr Ashford.

Max put a drawing of Mr Ashford in ballet shoes and a tutu on the blackboard just before History class, and Mrs Bateman came in to find Zoe weeping in rage and rubbing it off. When Zoe pointed a trembling finger at Max just like somebody accusing a murderer, Mrs Bateman lost her temper.

"You two are both being very silly. You're disrupting lessons for everybody else and that's not fair."

Ethan nodded sagely and Zoe yelled at him:

"You take that look off your face, Ethan Hardy! You were rotten to Mrs Bateman before so don't you get clever now."

"Zoe!" said Mrs Bateman warningly.

"You're an assbutt, Zoe Hanna!"

"Ethan!"

"Sorry Mrs Bateman" said Ethan at once, and she gave him a little smile.

"Now I want better behaviour from all of you in my next class. You can get your books out and read because I'm too angry to take today's class."

This should have solved things but Zoe refused to attend any Fierce Brave Gang meetings any more. Max did his best to keep order but felt he was being blamed as well.

"Ben can be in charge of the next meeting; I've had enough."

Lofty looked terrified.

"You'll be awesome" Robyn assured him, and kind Jeff nodded enthusiastically.

Fortunately without either Zoe or Max to disrupt, the next Gang Meeting went quite well and Lofty was relieved.

It was Dervla Day, but both Max and Zoe had refused to attend. Mr Keogh had just shrugged, and said "More space for the rest of us then."

Zoe had decided to tell Mr Ashford she loved him and didn't think he'd be mean about him.

As she was about to come out of the girls' toilets she heard Mr Ashford talking on his mobile. She decided to hide so he didn't know she went to the toilet. He might not like her any more if he thought about her going to the toilet.

"…. Yes, darling, it's good here. Mainly."

Zoe felt a little squashed at hearing 'darling' but thought it might be his sister.

"… There's just one silly little bitch who keeps ruining my classes, making sheeps' eyes and keeping me from my breaks, always asking stupid questions. She knows how to dance, she just wants to be in my face. Stupid little b*gger."

Max had come stalking down to use the boys' toilets and had heard every word. He ran over to Mr Ashford and shouted:

"You're a very rude man, and Zoe's worth three million of you! And I don't care if you give me detentions forever for saying it!"

"Oh, for f***'s sake!" snapped Mr Ashford, and went off to give in his notice.

Max found Zoe sobbing her heart out, and put his arms round her.

"Oh Max, I've been a fool!"

"You've been ninety-seven fools all joined together. But you're MY fool. You go and wash your face and I'll take you to see if Miss Honey's got any love hearts."

Mrs Beauchamp gave Max and Zoe a very gentle lecture when she'd finished with Mr Ashworth. They never forgot her words.

The next Gang Meeting went like a dream.

Everything looked fine again until Ethan ran home one day to chat to Cal, only to find Mrs Beauchamp wouldn't let him go up to his brother.

"Darling, I'm so sorry, Cal has chicken pox and has to stay in his bedroom. If you go near him you could catch it and you'd be horribly ill."

"I don't see him at school and now I shan't see him at home."

"I know darling, but Cal really doesn't want you to be ill too."

"Can Ben and Jacob come to stay then?"

"No darling, we needed to put Cal in the spare room."

Ethan's world had turned grey again.


	25. Chapter 25

**TRIGGER WARNING: Possible suicide**

Thanks to Gypsy Abby for her excellent ideas which I've been pleased to include here.

Mrs Beauchamp made sure Ethan had plenty to do to keep him occupied, and she kept updating him on Cal's progress. Ethan felt so sorry for Cal when she told him about the horrible itching and feverishness.

"You won't get it, will you, Mrs Beauchamp? I don't want you being poorly like that!"

She was able to explain that it was almost only children who caught chicken pox so she'd be safe.

By the end of the second week Cal was fit to read in bed, so Mrs Beauchamp set the class a project.

"I want all of you to make a card for Cal in Ms Chao's class. She's pleased to help and she'll give you all the paints and cardboard that you need."

Ethan couldn't wait to get stuck in and was hardly able to focus his attention in maths class. (Mr Keogh had told them that they were nearly grown up now and that maths was the right word for sums.) Mr Keogh forgave him because he knew how hard Ethan was trying to be good about Cal.

"I tell you what, Ethan, you get your maths right tomorrow and I'll see if Ms Chao will let Dervla sit in her basket next week while you draw her."

"I'll be stu-pen-dus!" beamed Ethan.

The drawing class was really enjoyable to start with. One side of the boards that Ms Chao gave out for everybody to paint on was for a picture, and the other for a messge. Jeff did a wonderful picture of a kitten who was carrying a big basket of bones tied up with cellophane and ribbon to a puppy with a bandage round its head. The message was 'Get well soon my friend.'

Robyn was going to do flowers and then wondered if Cal might not like them. She decided to draw a beautiful tree with "Best wishes from Robyn and her Tree of Health" as the message.

Max drew a picture of a vet's surgery with lots of pups and kittens with various injuries, and a poor overheated penguin.

"Poor penguin" said Ms Chao.

"Well if we could do two pictures, the vet's going to bring him a big basin full of ice that he can sit in."

"And what's the message?"

"You are not alone", beamed Max.

Zoe was nearly told off by Ms Chao for drawing a man who looked very much like Mr Ashford, with his leg up in plaster in a hospital ward, and the message was "Even bad guys should get well soon."

"I thought it would make Cal laugh", she explained and Ms Chao said nothing further.

Ethan didn't do a picture but he did his nicest writing ever and made it big so it fitted the whole card. It said "Get well soon even though you're a pain in the bum."

"No job for you at Hallmark Cards then Ethan" said Ms Chao drily.

Lofty had done his best drawing ever. A boy looking just like Cal standing by a promenade with big lights shining on it, and looking out to sea. His message went "Good things will happen when you get well. Please get well soon."

Ms Chao had just told Lofty how good his drawing was when disaster struck. He reached for a water jar to rinse his paintbrush in and it tipped over, leaving his drawing a soggy mess.

Eyes wide with shame, Lofty bit back tears.

"Ah, Ben, that's bad luck. But don't worry. I'll give you another piece of card and a paintbox and you can do it again at home."

"T-thank you Ms Chao."

"I tell you what, Ben, why don't we all come over and help you finish it?" Robyn suggested.

Lofty thought of his mum and wanted to make an excuse, but then he got a little defiant. He'd been invited to Mrs Beauchamp's and she was like Cal and Ethan's mum, why shouldn't he have friends over to his house?

He picked the wrong day for it.

Julia had been irritated since lunchtime. She was almost feeling the knives in her back after a discussion with the women in her team, she had let it slip that Ben's clumsiness annoyed her.

"Julia, wake up and smell the coffee! You've got a good little kid there. Dave's been taking money from my purse-"

Lisa chipped in:

"Morris spat at me the other day!"

"If Ben did anything like that he'd be very very sorry", Julia said coldly.

"Well, appreciate him, then! Bloody hell!"

Now she was heading for home, ready for two co-codamol, a cup of coffee and a nap.

She couldn't believe it when she heard the childish giggles and shouts coming from her son's room.

"Benjamin! Get down here NOW!"

Lofty hurried downstairs, the other kids behind him.

"Hi Mrs Chiltern", babbled Ethan nervously.

"How dare you invite a gang of kids here without consulting me first!"

"Ben's not given us any food, Mrs Chiltern, we just came here to help him do his drawing again… um, I mean, finish his drawing."

Jacob meant to be helpful.

"Let me guess. He spoiled his drawing. He was clumsy, as usual. He can buy a card tomorrow, it's all he's fit for. You lot, out!"

Jeff had had enough.

"You're rotten to Ben!"

"OUT!"

When the last child had fled round the corner, Julia turned on Lofty.

"What in hell were you thinking? You wait till your dad gets home from his conference and he finds out about this."

Lofty, pushed to the limit, suddenly yelled:

"You don't say anything kind to me about anything, ever!"

Julia's rage was white-hot.

"Get to bed. You can have an empty gut tonight. Go on, out of my sight."

Lofty sighed and went to pick up Eric Chiltern.

"NO. You do not take your cat to bed when you're in disgrace. In fact, seeing as you're so mouthy, you're not fit to look after a cat. I'm giving him away tomorrow."

Lofty's cry was heartrending:

"NO mum, PLEASE!"

"He's going and that's my final word. Now get to bed. Look at you, you're a waste of space!"

Lofty fled, almost tripping up on the stairs.

He couldn't sleep. His mum's words kept going round in his head. "Waste of space… I'm giving him away tomorrow…"

Lofty thought about running away with Eric Chiltern… but supposing one of those men who took slaves got him? They'd probably kill poor Eric Chiltern and not think twice about it. I AM a waste of space, he mused, I daren't even run away from home. He knew what he had to do. He didn't think his mum was cruel enough to hurt his cat after he was… well, after.

He managed to climb up on to a stool and then up to his parents' medicine cupboard. He knew he should leave his mum a few tablets in case she got a stress headache when she found out what he'd done. Heart pounding, tears running down his face, he carefully counted out the number of tablets that he thought would be enough to make him die.


	26. Chapter 26

**TRIGGER WARNING: suicide mentioned**

And then his small chin went up. There had to be another chance for him, surely? He'd go back to bed and then when he got up he would tell his mum he was sorry for being so rude. Maybe she would let him keep Eric Chiltern after all.

Suddenly, from what seemed like very far away, Eric Chiltern woke up and started miaowing for him.

But somebody else had woken too.

"BEN! Dear God, what were you… oh, sweetheart! Don't try and climb down, darling, I'll get you."

Julia was, to say the least, shell shocked. She had intended to tell Ben over breakfast, that, although he'd been a very bad boy, she would let him keep his cat. It would have been her hold over him. She'd never imagined she'd upset her son so much that he'd planned to take his own life.

More gently than she'd held him for a long time, she lifted him down.

"How many have you taken, Ben?"

Her voice was gentle, frightened.

"None, Mum, I swear."

Not to prove him a liar, but because she was genuinely afraid, she counted them.

"You didn't take any. Good boy."

She looked into his large blue/grey eyes.

"Why did you try to do that, Ben? I'm not angry but I need to know."

"You said I was a waste of space and that Eric Chiltern had to go."

"Ben, I was in a very mean mood yesterday. I said a lot of mean things. I didn't mean any of them."

"I'm sorry about making a mess of the card and –"

"Don't worry about that. It's going to be okay. But Ben?"

He looked at her anxiously.

"Don't tell Mrs Beauchamp about this, please."

Ben decided to make capital of this.

"There's something I want first, Mum."

Julia couldn't be angry with him. She'd brought him up to keep hold of money while he could, and now she thought she'd made him greedy. Karma.

But Lofty gave a sad little laugh.

"HUGS, Mum! Toys and that are okay, but they're just stuff. But boys need hugs."

Thinking of the list a greedier child could have made, she caught him up in a bear hug.

"Now here's what we're going to do. I'll get you a big glass of milk because you got no tea. Then you're going back to bed. I'll ring school and tell them you're not feeling good… and then we'll both go to your school tomorrow afternoon. I've changed my mind, Ben. We'll both tell Mrs Beauchamp what happened."

Ben's world was almost safe again. Almost but not quite. He realised that his Mum had been kind to him, not because she really loved him so much, but because she'd been scared of what he could have done. He could see how it would be for years ahead, she'd try to be friendly with him and he'd be friendly back. He'd always love her without wanting anything back but her new-found feelings for him were through remorse and fear. (He didn't say this to himself in so many words, but that's how he'd look back on the situation when he was much older.) So even though one huge pain had gone, Lofty would always have a dull little ache somewhere in his heart. But he had Eric Chiltern back and the Fierce Brave Gang would always be his friends, through Juniors and Seniors.

The kids had been very concerned when Lofty didn't come into school that morning. ("His mum's shot him. We should call the cops", Jacob said, which started Robyn off screaming like a banshee until Mrs Bateman gave her a hug to calm her down.)

They were relieved to see Mrs Chiltern and Lofty coming through the playground just before lunchtime. Louise had seen them and the kids had all crowded to the window.

"Don't mind me, it's only a maths class" Mr Keogh had said drily, but he was secretly relieved that Lofty was, as far as he could see, fine.

Mrs Chiltern and Mrs Beauchamp had a long talk together while Lofty sat outside with a book that Mrs Beauchamp thought he'd like.

When it was his turn to go in and talk to Mrs Beauchamp, he was nervous but she made it clear that he was in no way to blame for the previous day's events.

"But it's a bad thing to kill yourself, some people think you get sent to hell for it."

"I don't think so Ben, and anyway, you changed your mind, didn't you?"

He nodded.

"And you know your cat's safe and won't be going anywhere?"

Another nod, this time with a shy smile.

"Are you going to spend the holidays at my house again so Jacob and Ethan can have a room together? Cal will be better next week."

"Oh please. I'd like that, and I don't think Mum will miss me."

Cal did indeed get better and loved all the cards, including Lofty's revised one. Ethan felt much happier and was less gripey.

It didn't alter the fact that something very bad was looming on the horizon. The end of the kids' time at Holby Mixed Infants.

"We'll all be Juniors next year" said Max gloomily.

"I don't ever want to be at anybody's school but Mrs Beauchamp's" said Ethan, bursting into tears.

"Here" said the usually stroppy Louise, "Have a cuddle of Snap. He'll make you feel better."

Ethan was enjoying cuddling Snap when Jeff looked across the yard and said:

"Who's that woman going over to the Juniors? She looks dead common."

Ethan began to shiver.

"She IS dead common, too. She's our mum…"


	27. Chapter 27

DISCLAIMER: The characters in this story are not necessarily the same as the ones in 'Casualty', Cal and Ethan's mum being an example of this.

Ethan was even more upset when he saw his mum stalking out of the Juniors entrance, dragging a furious Cal by the arm.

Mr Fairhead knocked on Mrs Beauchamps's study door, and, getting no answer, decided to go in.

Mrs Beauchamp, her lipstick smudged, came out of the stationery cupboard. Miss Freeman tumbled out behind her. Mrs Beauchamp helped her to her feet.

"We were just…" she began.

"Oh for goodness' sake! We all know, Connie. Not just Dylan."

"W-what?"

"We've all been taking bets on when you two silly girls were going to come out."

Mrs Beauchamp took this in, then said:

"Okay, so what's this about?"

"Somebody to see you in your study, Connie. A Charlene Hardy. Cal's with her."

"Oh God…" Mrs Beauchamp whispered.

"I'm coming with you", Miss Freeman told her.

Charlene Hardy had her leopard-skinned boots on Mrs Beauchamp's table. Cal was too disgusted to look at her as Mrs Beauchamp came in, but he turned to his ex headmistress quickly:

"Mrs Beauchamp, she says she can take us. Me and Ethan. Tell her she can't."

"Oh I ****ing well can. You try to stop me if you dare! I'm their mother, not you, you snotty cow."

"Don't you call her a cow!"

"Stop it, Cal, unless you want a punch in the mouth."

Mrs Beauchamp stood protectively in front of Cal.

"I'm their legal guardian until at least December, and it looks like being made permanent."

"They're my little boys, not yours! Come on, Caleb, let's go and get Ethan."

"No!"

She slapped Cal's face hard. He bit his lip so he didn't cry. He had to be strong and not be a baby or Ethan would get hurt too.

"Look, you bitch!" Miss Freeman was over to her at once, "Okay. You want to take them, you take them."

"PLEASE, Miss Freeman!"

"It's okay, Cal." Miss Freeman turned her attention to Charlene once more.

"You take them and I'll go straight to the papers. About how you left your two little boys to be slapped and punched by their drunken bastard of a dad! Saved your own skin, and buggered off, didn't you?"

Mrs Beauchamp suddenly thought how gorgeous Miss Freeman was when she said "bugger".

Charlene's skin paled under her ugly tan.

"I- I'll tell them you're a liar!"

"Oh I think they'll know who the liar is. Get your arse out of here and don't come back till you've got better grounds for having Cal and Ethan."

Mr Fairhead, who had been listening discreetly at the door, had crept off to ask Ms Chao if he could borrow something. Now he was back.

As Charlene gave Cal a punch in the face that broke his nose, Mr Fairhead had entered the room and taken an excellent action shot with Ms Chao's camera.

Charlene made a grab for the camera but Miss Freeman was there first, twisting Charlene's arm behind her back.

"Take her, Charlie, before I wring her wrinkly neck for her!"

Mr Fairhead gave Miss Freeman the camera and held Charlene, not too gently, as Mrs Beauchamp phoned the police. As soon as they were on their way she hugged Cal.

"Sorry, darling. I'm getting you an ambulance now."

Cal wore his broken nose, however, with pride. He'd saved Ethan and his horrid mum – literally Ethan's mum and his stepmum – was off to the cop shop.

Lebsion magic had helped him stay strong.

Cal was relieved to know he didn't have to stay in hospital overnight and the next day was back at school. The Gang met him outside the Juniors' gates at lunchtime.

"Caleb, will you come to our hut? We have a gift to bestow upon you" said Zax proudly.

"Oh you're awesome! Thank you!"

Cal was led in triumph to the hut where he was presented with a pen and pencil set as befitted his rank as a Junior.

"Top class!"

"Does that big fat plaster get in the way when you wash your face?" asked the tactless Louise.

"Oh yeah. Hurts every time", sighed Cal, not realising how much like Wolverine in X Men 1 he sounded.

Robyn ran up and gave Cal a huge hug and then said "Sorry Ben!"

Lofty knew it would be horrid of him to say he didn't mind so he chose his words carefully.

"If it was anybody else my heart would be broken, but I don't mind if it's Cal."

Time sped by. Dervla behaved like a doggie angel when the kids drew her and Ms Chao said their drawings were all great. Soon it was the final week. Then would come the the horrible day when they'd have to say goodbye to Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman as teachers.

Ethan tried not to get too sad as he had Mrs Beauchamp to go home with every night, even when he was in the Juniors.

Lofty was the same, he was going to have six glorious weeks with Mrs Beauchamp and Cal. Cal was becoming his best friend now.

Ethan suspected he'd cry a lot on the last day. He was right.


	28. Chapter 28

Just two more chapters to go here. I feel very sad bringing this to a close but don't want to get to the stage where I'm just churning out the chapters. A very different kind of fierce, brave gang will be appearing soon however...

Mrs Beauchamp called a special Assembly on the last day. She looked grim, and so did all the other teachers standing with her. The kids looked scared and Ethan's lip was trembling already.

"I have a very important announcement to make" Mrs Beauchamp announced coldly:

"There will be no lessons today."

She suddenly started laughing and the other teachers laughed too.

"We're going to have a treasure hunt round the school. Team A will be Ethan, Jeff, Noel, Louise and Jacob. Team B will be Ben, Robyn, Jess, Max and Zoe. Team C…."

But Mrs Beauchamp didn't get to name the kids from the rest of the class who'd be Team C because the kids had begun to cheer. She was finally allowed to continue:

"Mrs Bateman will be helping Team A and Mr Keogh Team B. Ms Chao will be looking after Team C. The prize will be to choose the first tune to be played at the grand party and disco from one o' clock till three thirty."

The kids were all given clues as to what the treasure might be. They'd been told to write down their answers and pass them to a teacher so the other kids couldn't hear. Soon Robyn gave a little whoop of joy, wrote down something and passed it to Mr Keogh.

"The treasure's Grainne Puppy. She's a lovely goldy Labrador colour and it mentions Pirate Gold."

Mr Keogh nodded discreetly and whispered:

"You still have to find out the place though, team, so we're not there yet."

But Ethan suddenly knew! "Where dragons abide in a place linked to the past." It was a joke on him because of his being cheeky about Mrs Bateman being a big dragon. And it was the history classroom.

He passed his scribbly note to Mrs Bateman who shouted:

"Stop the clock! I think we have a winner!"

"What tune would you like, Ethan?" asked Miss Freeman.

" 'Regional Sin' by Elton John cause I just like the tune."

Mrs Beauchamp and Miss Freeman suddenly smiled at each other and mouthed:

"Our song now."

Mr Keogh went to find 'Original Sin' to play later.

Then Mrs Beauchamp had another announcement.

"I've been speaking to the Headmaster of the Juniors, Mr Henrik Hanssen. He says he can't give the Fierce Brave Gang a hut any more."

Miss Freeman almost choked trying not to giggle as she saw all the sad little faces.

"He says why do you need a hut when you can have a nice spare classroom to yourselves for your meetings? He's got it sorted."

Cheers. Whoops. Ethan had been allowed to hold Snap all day and he made the crocodile do a somersault of joy.

For the rest of the morning there were Mr Keogh's silly puzzle books once more, and everybody trooping up to the canteen to see Miss Honey. They'd clubbed together under Snap's supervision to get her a small but special bottle of her favourite perfume. It took a while until she stopped crying, but a few hugs from Ethan soon put that right.

It was Ethan's turn to cry with joy when one o'clock came round and Cal came running through the door. He'd even put a couple of disco stars on his nose bandage to make everybody laugh.

"Mr Hanssen's let me come here for the afternoon. You guys are really going to like him."

Not as much as Mrs Beauchamp, thought several of the kids. Mrs Beauchamp was something else. But the future was looking so good.


	29. Chapter 29

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER – A/N: Some very different pairings here. Hope nobody minds.

"Do you think we'll get our books signed?" Lucie asked for the third time that afternoon.

"We're moving up the queue, darling. But Mr Knight has to go at five o' clock, he's meeting his brother later."

"I've got to have mine signed. I've got to!" Ryan reminded Zoe of Ethan Hardy suddenly as he wailed.

Lucie and Ryan Walker willed Mr Knight not to go home before their books were signed. Mr Knight was more famous and cleverer than J K Rowling! They loved his adventure series with the magic brothers.

Caleb Knight had already seen Lucie, Ryan and their parents in the queue and had sent Ethan a discreet text to say he'd be late. Ethan quickly texted back to say it made a change for him not to be late and not to worry. Louise would wait for them both, even if she gave her doctor husband and his famous author brother a lecture when they turned up for dinner.

And at last there were Lucie and Ryan at the front of the queue. Lucie let Ryan go first because he was little and could get fretful if he was kept waiting.

"What made you write things, Mr Knight?" asked Ryan.

"Oh we're friends so you should call me Cal. I started making up stories to stop my little brother worrying about things, years ago. And I was once very naughty and told somebody who was being snoopy a big story about a play we were going to do…."

The kids were glowing as their dad, Max, came to take them and their mum home.

Ethan came out of the operating theatre, exhausted but euphoric. Louise would skin him alive for this, but she did know how things were.

He howled with laughter at the message Louise had left him:

"Hey loser, you're late. Your dinner's in your brother."

He wondered again how that stroppy little girl at school who sometimes used to fight his corner, had got under his skin. Now there was nobody else he wanted but Lou, stroppiness included. He did hope she was joking though about his dinner. He was famished. To take his mind of his hunger until the cab he'd just texted arrived, he wondered once more whether the baby that was on the way would be a boy or a girl, and if Baby Hardy would like Snap and Sharpie or if they'd be scared of them. And he couldn't wait for the first reaction from Nana Beauchamp!

Dave wiped away another tear as he sat in the waiting room. He just knew Mr Chiltern would be coming out any moment to tell him that Caractacus would have to die. He'd know the truth if Mr Chiltern told him to put his money away. There was a rumour going round Holby that Mr Chiltern never took payment from a child for an animal he couldn't save. But here was Mr Chiltern coming through the doors with Caractacus's box with a big smile on his face.

"Hello, Dave. Now, Caractacus will have to come back again to have his shell rebuilt when his infection's died down, but if you make sure he's well looked after, he'll be fine. But I do need to ask you something about him."

Dave looked scared.

"I was very concerned about those boys climbing back over the fence and standing on him again, which is why I wanted to ask you something. How would you feel about being able to see Caractacus every day even if he's not living at your house?"

Dave didn't understand so the vet continued:

"As you know, there's an excellent pets' corner at Holby Mixed Infants, where you go. If you let Mr Max look after him, he'll be really safe in his hut and he'll make sure he's warm as toast when he hibernates. So he'll still be yours but I can promise you, no bad boys get past Mr Max!"

Dave wondered if his headmistress would agree to it.

"What will Mrs Walker say though?"

"She just happened to put the idea into my head! Now I shan't take full payment until Caractacus is completely healed but as Holby Mixed Infants is going to have him, they'll be pleased to pay my bill."

Dave, unable to help it, gave Mr Chiltern a huge bear hug.

After Dave had gone skipping off, knowing his tortoise was safe for ever, Ben Chiltern checked his text messages. Mainly from his mum. Now, he wasn't going to get too silly on his stag night, was he? He wouldn't be doing any overtime on his wedding day?

He thought of his mum's reaction after he'd brought his fiancée to his parents' home.

"I don't know why you couldn't marry that nice little redhead, Ben."

"Mum, Robyn came out last year! She'll be bringing Suzy to the wedding, remember?"

"Okay darling. But… you know, these people call themselves gay but do you suppose they're really happy?"

His mum would never change. But it didn't matter. Ben had found real love and was to be married that weekend.

Mr Jeffrey Collier and Ms Jess Harrison were taking advantage of the old stationery cupboard that Miss Freeman and Mrs Beauchamp used to use.

"We should go back in a minute" Jess sighed, but Jeff pulled her back.

"Hey, Mrs and Ms Beauchamp always found time for one more cuddle. And I need to ask you something as well."

"Right."

"Fancy announcing our engagement at Ben's wedding reception?"

"JEFF! Oh… yes please! Yes! But won't Ben mind having his thunder stolen?"

"When did Ben Chiltern ever complain about sharing anything?"

One more furtive kiss and the games teacher and history teacher reluctantly went back to work.

"Noel."

"What?"

"Please tell me you're not wearing that for the reception?"

"Jacob Masters! I paid a fortune for that suit."

"Oh well if you think you look okay in it…"

Noel's face fell and Jacob was contrite.

" I was teasing, stupid! You know I'm just jealous."

"Hey, you'll always be my mate, no matter how many shops I open. All that work in Ms Chao's classes paid off for me eh!"

"And you get the pick of the Holby babes!"

"Jacob, my friend, you will never have any trouble pulling babes. If you want a cougar, I think Zoe's big sister Alison's going to be at that reception!"

"MMmm, wouldn't say no to HER!"

"I miss that stationery cupboard" sighed Connie Beauchamp.

"We should find a little sneaky spot on Saturday. I hear St Winifred's has a nice garden."

"Rita Freeman, you might still be gorgeous but I draw the line at a church garden. There are limits."

"Mmmm. It's good to know the gang's all turned out so well, isn't it?"

"I always knew they would. Even when Cal first came and was a pain in the butt to everybody. I knew he'd make it in the end.

"I'm still surprised Ben didn't choose him as Best Man."

"I think he would have if he'd not been so set on asking Dylan. Ben always looked up to Dylan, Cal totally gets that. Hey, can you imagine Dylan's Best Man speech?"

Rita spluttered then recovered enough to say:

"Nana Beauchamp soon eh?"

"I'm going to get them to call me Nana Connie instead."

"You don't look like a Nana, you sexy bitch."

"Freeman! Control yourself!"

"Never!" and Rita gave one of her delicious giggles.

Taylor Ashby was being interviewed before her first night in Swan Lake. She was donating the takings from her performance to a childrens' charity.

"So tell me again, Taylor, why is this charity so important to you?"

"The truth? I was a complete little bitch when I went to school. I cheated, I sulked, I kicked off. Then one day after a big disappointment, I… I did something that nearly caused the death of a favourite dog. I was so sick with shame afterwards that I just kept thinking, how can I ever pay back for what I've done? It's funny you know, the kids from Holby Infants ignored me for years after that, all except for one boy who wished me a merry Christmas when I was at my lowest. I met him again years afterwards, and he was so sweet, he said he wasn't interested in what I used to be, but what I'd turned out to be. We started dating, and the rest is history."

"Remind the viewers again of your fiance's name."

The smile that spread across Taylor's face was warm and genuine.

"Ben Chiltern. On Saturday I'll be Mrs Taylor Chiltern."

 **THE END**

So, sadly, that is the final Fierce Brave Gang but if you still want to read my Holby AU stories, "Healers and Slayers" will begin soon. I want to thank all my reviewers, especially the lovely Gypsy Abby, for all the support. You're all great.


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